I am asking PCS members in the DWP to support me for re‑election as your Group President.
Throughout the last two years I believe members have seen a different style of leadership as I have brought my own self and own experience to the role. I have been visible and vocal and have proven that members are my priority. I have spoken for you at every opportunity and continued to work across all areas, from policy to employment tribunal, to Select Committee, ensuring you were with me in every room where decisions have been made, including in Parliament.
Members will be aware that there are three candidates in this election. I will state here that I am a Left Unity member to my core, Left Unity being the true socialist faction in PCS, with the candidates that will support you above any outside party. One of my opponents sits in a faction controlled by a party that would see PCS burn, her time on the NEC and as NEC Liaison Officer to our GEC saw political and personal attacks, and sectarianism at every meeting. The other opponent having sat on the GEC for a number of years now has brought nothing to that table and has in fact neglected her allocated work remit in favour of branch work. Of course we must look after our members in the branch, but if the branch is struggling, why stand for a position on a GEC that you cannot commit to? It is non sensical and does not bode well for taking on the role as the Group President.
I myself have turned up at every occasion, have worked in my own time and given my all to the presidency of this Group and will continue to do so.
As DWP continue to press ahead with their transformation programme, under my leadership Left Unity led GEC has responded to every policy that has threatened a detrimental change to your working practices. I took the lead in responding to the Get Britain Working/Pathways to Work White Paper which is government’s template for massive change. It was that written submission that led to the Group being invited to speak at the Parliamentary Jobcentre Inquiry/Select Committee hearing.
Further to this, understanding that welfare cuts affect members both sides of the desk, I led the Group in working with the national union, the PCS Parliamentary Group and community groups to press government to shift its approach to PIP reforms, seeing the worst proposals abandoned.
Remember the MP’s putting the Permanent Secretary under scrutiny in Parliament? It was the Left Unity led GEC that provided the questions to the Parliamentary Group to feed to those MP’s. I then publicly challenged the permanent secretary on his claim that members receive vouchers to support low pay. Further evidence that I have ensured that your voice has been heard at every opportunity.
In pay talks I fronted up the demand for the 0.5% of the remit to be used to lift members away from the National Living Wage. We robustly pressed our demand for an end to poverty pay and for all members to receive a decent pay uplift. A move away from percentage pay to cash value would ensure a fairer distribution of the remit.
As the employer refused to submit a business case to bring more money to the table, I told the DWP pay team that members would not accept this any longer and that they had forced the Group into a dispute. I stood by that claim and led the Group in an online indicative ballot that gave evidence to my assertion as, on a 52.3% turnout, 80.5% of members said they would strike on pay – this is the highest turnout since the 50% threshold was introduced in 2016.
The Group moved to a statutory ballot where 84.6% of members voted for strike action. The threshold was not met due to unforeseen circumstances; however, if I am re-elected and DWP fail address low pay again this year, if it is the will of our members, I am fully committed to leading another industrial action campaign.
We have seen opponents of Left Unity attempt to claim ownership of the Visa Sponsorship campaign, as if the lives of Black workers are to be owned for political gain. Fact is, it is the officers under my leadership that saved over 50 jobs for Black workers in our Group and won policy amendments that will benefit all members. I met with national HR to see a sensitive policy created to stop the abhorrent action of managers marching colleagues off premises when they lost their leave to remain; I will continue to ensure all workers are treated with respect and dignity.
The Visa Sponsorship campaign continues as we build on the e-action to MP’s and Parliamentary drop-in sessions. I have ensured the campaign now sits on the national Parliamentary Campaigns agenda with the weight of the national union and the PCS Parliamentary Group demanding legislative amendments to the Immigration Act.
If elected I will continue in my endeavour to build a strong inclusive PCS. I support members across every equality strand and those that have no protected characteristic.
I am a true socialist, I stand for all, and knowing those that are standing against me, I truly believe I am the only candidate able to carry out the role of DWP President. If I did not believe that, I would not stand.
I promise you that if re-elected I will continue to represent you in all areas. I am not afraid of challenge, and I will be robust in my demand for better for you on all issues from pay, to hybrid working, to office closures, to transformation. Nothing will be too great a task.
I ask that you please support me in this election, and in doing so that you give me a team I can work with. I know beyond doubt that the Left Unity team listed here will work to support you and will also support me to lead this Group to win better for you.
Please vote PCS Left Unity.
President-Grant
Vice-Presidents-Cavanagh, McDonough, Pope, Shafiq
Assistant Secretaries-Burke, Corcoran, Cahill, McFarlane, McGachey, Morton, Perry
Organiser-Byers
Treasurer- Edwards
Editor-Kennedy
GEC-Ahmed, Ferraro, Getton, Jackson, Lothian, McCafferty, Mack, Meller, Mulcahy, Pealing, Revell, Sherriff, Simmons-Robertson, Smith, Thomas, Westgarth, Wilson