Democracy Alliance members (including LU) have pledged to refund six months of levy payments to all members who we believe had this money deducted from them by decisions of the existing NEC majority in bad faith during this period of time.
What does this mean in practice for PCS members?
What is the PCS levy?
The levy was first introduced following consultation with all members and endorsed in a ballot in autumn 2022 to provide financial support to members taking periods of paid targeted action specific to the National Campaign.
The LU/Democracy Alliance used this money effectively to help deliver an improved pay remit in 2023 on the back of the action that PCS members took.
Following this period of action members were again consulted in summer 2023 and agreed to pause the levy whilst there was a pause in paid targeted action under the national campaign; the levy was reinstated in May 2024 when members again endorsed this in a consultative ballot and in a reballot for further action.
LU/DA NEC have consulted members over decisions relating to the levy at every stage.
What happened regarding further action under the National Campaign?
Unfortunately our largest employer groups, although delivering yes votes for action, didn’t manage to achieve a 50% membership turnout required to take further action at that stage. A numb er of smaller PCS Employer groups did achieve a legal mandate for action.
PCS ADC 2024 carried a motion put forward by supporters of the current NEC majority to change the demands of the existing trade dispute and added a variety of new ones to take the campaign forward. This effectively ended the existing national campaign and created the basis of a new one.
A new NEC majority took up office following ADC. LU/DA members remained on the NEC but didn’t have a voting majority.
Proposals for taking the campaign forward were presented to two Senior Lay Reps Forums in July and were not supported by the majority of those reps in attendance.
Following the General Election the new government swiftly moved to announce a 5% pay remit for Civil Service and related bodies and also settled outstanding pay disputes with Train Drivers and Junior Doctors so that there were no other areas still in dispute and looking to take action.
Proposals to pause the levy
By the time of the August NEC it had become clear that any action that could legally be taken under the existing mandate, and that was be able to deliver the action necessary to increase the pay remit, would be extremely unlikely, given the relatively small number of members involved. In addition, there were no requests from the larger PCS Groups to reballot their members at this time over this issue.
It was therefore clear that no further industrial action would be taken during the course of the existing mandate which would expire in November.
For this reason the General Secretary proposed pausing the levy payments for members and consulting them on a way forward. This proposal was supported by DA NEC members but voted down by the NEC majority.
The GS then made the same proposal at the December NEC after all mandates for legal action had expired but the DA NEC members were again outvoted by the NEC Majority.
By the time of the January NEC some members of the NEC majority had changed their minds, in light of increasing criticism from members, with one of their number opportunistically raising an illegitimate Point of Order about taking a “vote on pausing the levy”, ahead of the “elections”, knowing full well that decision couldn’t be reviewed for another two months under the NEC Standing Orders.
As the debate unfolded the National President, a member of the Democracy Alliance and strong advocate of the pause, tested if the NEC wase prepared to revisit its decision, a proposal which would require a two-thirds majority. This led to a majority of the NEC now voting in favour of pausing the levy with effect from the end of February, with the Coalition for Change splitting on the issue.
Left Unity had consistently campaigned for this outcome in the months before. The period of time from the point where the NEC could have paused the levy was from September-February (six months)
Does pausing the levy mean we can’t fund any paid industrial action?
No.
Members endorsed the use of the levy specifically for action taken under the national campaign. For this reason it can’t be used for any other purpose.
PCS also has a general Fighting Fund. Members directly contribute 50p of their monthly subscriptions into this fund. Anyone can also make additional voluntary donations through monthly standing orders or individual donations. Action in respect of the national campaign can, and has previously, been funded from the Fighting Fund. We also have significant reserves.
Although we support consulting members on ways in which we can further build up this fund it has continued to be used to support paid targeted action in G4S, defending sacked reps in HMRC, and current disputes over office working for example.
Could a voluntary levy be considered?
Although some members and branches support this approach we don’t believe it would raise enough money to fund the level of action we would need to take.
It also simply replicates the already existing General FF into which members can already make additional voluntary contributions.
A voluntary levy or an opt out clause would also be problematic when you came to supporting various groups of members taking paid action together. It could be very divisive if some members were benefitting from this whilst not making a specific financial contribution towards the cost.
Why refunding the levy is necessary at this time
Continuing to take money from members in the knowledge that it would not be used for its intended purpose was wrong. Hundreds of members have resigned citing cost or the levy as a reason for doing so. The NEC majority has breached faith with members or reps trying to build up membership in their branches. If elected LU/DA candidates will right that wrong by refunding the levy for the six month period in which it should have been paused.
Members need to be consulted on the big decisions which affect them. We are not in principle opposed to the use of levies in specific circumstances subject to membership agreement, but the trust and confidence amongst members about how their money is used must be rebuilt and maintained for the future.
Only LU/DA candidates are giving members this commitment during this election campaign. Use your vote wisely.
PCS Left Unity 