Renewed hope for the future
Evan Dixon, a young PCS member from HMRC East Kilbride, writes about how attending his first Young Members’ Seminar has inspired him to get more involved in PCS.
Having become gradually more involved with PCS since the beginning of 2023, I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to attend this year’s Young Members’ Seminar. So far as a rep, most of my time and attention has been spent on workplace issues, so the event was really interesting for me as a union activist.
There was never a dull moment during the seminar. The workshops were a great opportunity for young members to discuss organising strategies and industrial relations, and the talks and discussions that took place were really insightful for young members to learn more about the causes and the trade union that we commit our time to. Not only that but also hearing from fellow activists about the work they have done in their own branches was heartening.
Moreover, it was fantastic, and really refreshing, to have a place to connect with other young activists, to discuss issues affecting young members in their workplaces, and to be able to unite over a common cause.
The weekend was a real demonstration that the trade union movement is much bigger than any one branch, workplace, employer, or demographic. It was uplifting to unite with comrades across different departments and agencies, across different regions, all with a shared passion for standing up for a movement all about fairness and justice.
The weekend gave me a renewed hope in the future of that movement and I’m looking forward to throwing my hat in the ring and being more involved with PCS going forward!