As PCS’s representative on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Women’s Committee, and heading into International Women’s Day (IWD,) I was proud to represent PCS at ICTU’s Women’s conference. Looking at the events of the last few weeks, I’ve considered what this means for me and for others and the progress we’ve made since IWD was first suggested in 1910.

The conference in an important marker in the trade union movement’s calendar. It represents a fantastic opportunity to stand in solidarity with our sister unions over issues that are present in the workplace, the trade union movement and wide society, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence. Although saddened these issues are still on the agenda, I was inspired to see so many women attending the conference, incredible women, tirelessly working to make things better, for themselves, their colleagues, and future generations.

The conference looks to bring women to the heart of policy making bring their experience to the fore. It reinforces that women in a trade union make real difference standing up to injustice and giving a voice to many who cannot speak for themselves. With more and more women in the workplace and the trade union movement than ever before, women have a right to expect more. They deserve a trade union movement that recognises their experience, their value, their contribution. I was proud to show PCSs commitment to supporting women who have and will continue to achieve so much as we move forward, not just for themselves but for all.

The wider theme of the conference was something we all can appreciate, ‘valuing care in all its forms’. Being a carer is something that impacts us all at some point in our life, from childcare to caring for a loved one or partner and caring for elderly parents. As a carer for my daughter on the autism spectrum and for 2 elderly disabled parents this is something close to my heart.

Sometimes becoming a carer is something that happens suddenly, after an accident or health scare, circumstances that offers us little time to prepare for the immense changes that being a carer makes to our lives. Sometimes being a carer is a gradual transition as our commitment to caring become more as a loved one’s health declines or they age. Either way, becoming a carer is a huge commitment that impacts every aspect of someone’s life, impacting social activity, family relationships, mental health, and work life. A change that is often not recognised, an impact that goes unnoticed, and a role that is undervalued.

The majority of carers are women. Carers are often forced out of the workplace, resigning women to becoming a hidden voice in society, something that we as a trade union movement have long campaigned against. As a trade union moment, we cannot stand by and watch as women are forced back into the home. Therefore, I was inspired to see the trade union movement as a whole embrace this issue as a priority.

The ICTU conference and IWD celebration is not only an opportunity to remember the struggles that women have faced and recognise how far we have come, but also an opportunity to identify current issues and how we will overcome these for future generations.  As the fight for equality continues its important that as a trade union movement we continue to fight for equal pay, equal work and equal opportunity.  We will continue to challenge inequality in the workplace and society, and a movement we will challenge inequality in our workplaces.

The old adage remains the true, together we are stronger and together we will make a change.

Cathy Darcan.

Cathy is standing for the NEC as a part of the Democracy Alliance https://pcsleftunity.org/2024/01/25/left-unity-recommendations-for-nec-candidates/

A personal message from Martin Cavanagh – Acting National President

Last year when the LU-led NEC recommended pausing industrial action as part of our national campaign on pay, pensions justice and job security, we did so with a promise to PCS members.

The promise that we would re-ballot our members for further strike action if sufficient progress wasn’t made in talks at both Cabinet Office and delegated levels. The recommendation was overwhelmingly supported by PCS members with over a 90% yes vote on a 47% turnout in last summers consultative ballot.

The NEC decision of the 7th March to move to a ballot of all UK and Welsh Government members on updated demands delivers on that promise to members.

While progress has been made in talks, and for the first time since the imposition of delegated pay in the early 90’s, there is an acknowledgement that the current pay system doesn’t work, that doesn’t deliver the pay rise our members need right now.

As a result I believe the NEC was absolutely right to call a ballot of members starting today (Monday 18th March).

Not a ballot for ballots sake

Unlike our opponents, who opposed the pause of action last year and now argue we are balloting too soon, the LU-led leadership is clear that when we ballot and subsequently strike, we should do so for maximum effect.

The truth is the anti-union threshold is aimed at making it more difficult to take strike action. We also know from past experience, whenever we ballot, against the backdrop of the 50% threshold, it is always a challenge to meet that target. In that context there is no ideal time to ballot.

However, members should be able to trust that their union will only ballot when it’s necessary and at the optimum time to do so. LU are clear now is the optimum time.

We aren’t simply balloting for ballot’s sake. It is crucial to our strategy of maximising leverage on the government, that we do so with a clear intent, that being the upcoming Treasury remit.

Every year the Treasury issues it’s remit guidance to government departments, which acts as the framework for delegated talks. The LU-led PCS leadership is clear that we need to up the pressure on government ahead of that remit being published, and to try and get it increased before delegated talks are underway.

That was successful last year, when we knew 2% was the intended remit, but our strike action at the end of 2022 and early in 2023, forced the government to more than double that to 4.5%.

Balloting now and getting a huge mandate across the UK and Welsh Civil Service can act as a similar catalyst.

It is also why we were right to reject calls to push the ballot timetable back to later in the year. Initially those calls from opponents of LU were to push it to the summer, showing a lack of confidence in members and activists. More recently the calls were to move it to April, to give us more time to be ready for the ballot, ignoring that the NEC have been asking branches to get ballot ready since late last year, and that we would miss any opportunity of influencing the remit for 2024/25.

Let’s deliver even bigger than before

Between now and the 13th May it is critical we leave no stone unturned in driving out the vote in the statutory ballot.

We showed last year that action can deliver concessions from this government, and whilst they weren’t enough to settle our dispute, members can and should be confident their actions can win more.

In a General Election year, we now have the opportunity to remind the current government, as well as laying down a marker for the next one, that we are ready, willing, and able to fight for the pay we deserve, for pensions justice and a refund of what is rightfully ours, and for long-term job security.

Give the LU-leadership of PCS the mandate we need, and we will again lead you into action, that will maximise the impact on government and minimise the financial cost to you and your families.

VOTE YES!

Martin Cavanagh

Acting National President

(on behalf of PCS Left Unity)

On Wednesday the Left Unity led PCS NEC voted to launch a strike ballot across the civil service. See https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/pcs-launch-strike-ballot-over-pay-campaign

Last year the industrial action, which included 3 days of national strike action and hundreds of days of targeted action paid for by the national levy, saw a significant improvement in our pay deal and a £1500 back pay for the cost of living. In a consultative ballot members voted overwhelmingly to pause the campaign, but we made it clear that the campaign was not over.

In recent talks there has been some progress with the Cabinet Office but nowhere near enough for us to assume we could receive a decent increase this year. We are demanding a cost of living increase plus pay restoration for the many years of declining pay. The strike levy will be reinstated at the end of May.

The ballot will run from 18th March to the 13th May.

Surprisingly supporters of the BLN and IL on the NEC proposed delaying the ballot start into April. This from the people who said we were selling out the dispute last year when we paused the action. They proposed that we need more preparation time, but we decided that coming straight out of the online survey into a ballot would be better than losing momentum.

With the ballot opening in a week’s time Left Unity is calling on all our supporters and all activists to put our backs into getting the vote out. It is crucial that we get every group past the 50% strike threshold and are in the position to take strike action if needed.

In the coming days we need to make sure every member is in the correct branch and we have a ballot address for them and correct contact details.

Start planning your branch activity to deliver the ballot – leafletting, meetings, calling people.

Make sure you use PCS digital to record who has voted so we know who we need to talk to.

The cost of living remains exorbitantly high for working class people. Councils are pushing up council tax, services are being cut and this government of millionaires continues to attack our class. As other unions begin to ballot again for this year let’s deliver a spectacular strike vote that allows us to go into PCS Conference in May ready to take a stand.

At this week’s NEC, a member of the Broad Left Network astonished members by calling for PCS to affiliate to the Labour Party now in order to ‘change it from within’.

This faction was set up by the sectarian Socialist Party, which has run a vicious campaign of division within PCS and which has boasted that they intend to ‘tear down the lot’ if their preferred candidates do not get the positions that they demand.

The Socialist Party are in an unprincipled alliance with the Independent Left, which is dominated by the Alliance For Workers’ Liberty, which has a long-standing commitment to Labour Party Affiliation. The fact the Socialist Party, which does not support affiliation to Labour, and in fact, runs its own electoral organisation – TUSC – is prepared to press this demand within PCS, is scandalous, but also shows how far they have stooped.

Left Unity, and previous general secretary, Mark Serwotka, with the full backing of activists and members, developed the union’s political representation policies, through years of consultation, which included a national members’ ballot – the Left Unity NEC established the Political Fund, set up parliamentary groups in Westminster, Scotland and Wales, and worked with politicians across the board in Northern Ireland.

PCS’s political strategy has been based on the central principle that all its political campaigning starts from the basis that it must relate to the union’s campaign to protect jobs, conditions and services.

PCS has worked on the basis of being political, not party-political.

It is shocking that BLN has taken this position. Starmer’s Labour Party is committed to cuts and privatisation – just like the Tories.

While we want to see an end to the Tory Government, PCS Left Unity, the true socialist organisation within PCS, will never do what BLN and the Independent Left propose – get into bed with the Labour Party, by affiliating to them – something that we are confident has no support amongst members.

What is at stake?

Left Unity has repeatedly warned of the divisive behaviour of the BLN. Its personalised methods of disrupting, rather than building unity, has nothing to do with ‘socialism’ as they claim. The fact they support calls for a cosy relationship with Keir Starmer is a new low.

We have predicted sectarianism – which they represent – is a giant step towards the re-emergence of an organised right wing in PCS. Early signs of this are apparent already in the HMRC where the candidate set up to challenge the existing group president claims he isn’t really standing against her, they just want rid of Left Unity.

This call now for Labour Party affiliation, is evidence of the dangerous role they are playing, and is happening at the same time they have opposed moving to a statutory ballot to win better pay for members.

Left Unity don’t play games with members’ pay, terms and conditions. The issues at stake are too serious. When the PCS elections begin, and you have a choice to make about who represents you, vote for a leadership that doesn’t play games. Support the Democracy Alliance candidates – for a leadership that works for you.