I work in the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) that looks after the money of mentally incapacitated clients, within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). I am Branch Organiser of the MoJ Associated Offices Branch of which I ensured a 93% transfer from the Check Off to Direct Debit in a short space of time when the government engaged in union busting in 2015. Fran Heathcote, now, the General Secretary of PCS led this fight against union busting in the largest government department, DWP. It inspired us all to do the same, especially in the second largest department of the Civil Service, HMRC, under their leader, Lorna Merry who will continue these successes. I am standing beside Lorna in one of the photographs during our demonstration against the Minimum Service Levels Act, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Thatcher’s sacking of 14 Trade Unionists in Cheltenham GCHQ.

In early 2023, I organised 5 picket lines in 3 days of national action in our branch and mentored many new PCS Union Representatives in their first dispute. These employer groups were the Youth Justice Board, Parole Board, Prison Probation Ombudsman, Wales Office and the Northern Ireland Office that broke the 50% threshold in the Statutory Ballot. They are amongst the lowest paid government bodies and I was proud to stand on their picket lines in Whitehall, Petty France, 1 Horse Guards Road and Canary Wharf in London. Previously, I saved hundreds of jobs in the OPG and the Youth Justice Board, by parliamentary lobbying. In addition, I was the only picket with a Full Time Officer during Targeted Action outside the A1 Highways Agency in South Mimms but the PCS membership has doubled in this workplace. I have supported picket lines for outsourced security guards on strike for better pay, terms and conditions. Before Christmas 2022, in the thick of the rain, I supported the Border Staff picket line at Heathrow and stood with their local MP, John McDonnell. I pay £20 per month to the PCS Fighting Fund and consider it to be money well spent! In the summer of 2023, I organised the only targeted action of the national dispute in MoJ for 3 days of which was the Northern Ireland Office in Belfast. Now with the support of other Trade Unions through their biggest industrial action in decades, we have pressurised the end of the suspension of Stormont Assembly, of which could create more jobs in the Northern Ireland Office. In the last statutory ballot, we broke the the 50% threshold in 8 employer groups: Office of the Public Guardian, Criminal Cases Review Commission, Judicial Appointments Commission, Youth Justice Board, Parole Board, Wales Office, Northern Ireland Office and Prison Probation Ombudsman. Through this branch with the support of the Legal Aid Agency and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, we pressurised the MoJ to pay the £1500 cost of living compensation payment to all staff, and broke the pay freeze of the last 10 years from the 2% cap to over 5%. As a result, we have had a larger branch of Representatives and Advocates with regular BEC meetings. Industrial action makes all the difference.

In 2021, I prevented compulsory relocations from Medway Court to another region by lobbying the local Trades Union Council and their Labour councillors. In 2022, this campaigning preserved the local justice of Medway. We need to apply these successful tactics against other offices that are threatened with closure. I am ensuring more representation for our prison staff on the MoJ Group Executive Committee. This representation is important as our PCS members were impacted by so many deaths in the prisons from COVID 19 and, still, face the threat of prison privatisation!

I am on the PCS National Disabled Members’ Forum and the TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee. Although I was diagnosed as Autistic in my early childhood, and promoted Autism/Neurodiversity acceptance in the Civil Service, I represent all Disabled Members. I speak at a number of events for all PCS Neurodivergent members. I campaign with “Disabled People Against the Cuts” (DPAC) against the appalling Universal Credit and speak at their demonstrations on behalf of PCS. In May 2021, I organised the first historic meeting between the Disabled Workers’ Committees of the TUC and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Previously, I have been fighting to protect our members from the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, as more than two – thirds of people who died, have disabilities. Internationally, I have campaigned for the rights of the Disabled and Trade Unions in Ukraine as well as Palestine during these terrible times of war. Long before the devastating atrocities in Gaza, I have spoken at least six times at demonstrations as PCS Liaison Officer for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign!

I represent members up to employment tribunal, preventing many dismissals and ensured re – instatement from dismissal in the Private Sector. Currently, we are pressurising the government over the living wage for every security guard and cleaner in all government bodies and branches. I re – invigorated the National Health and Safety Committee with the National Hazards Campaign. We need further campaigning against bullying, discrimination, stress and deteriorating mental health.

In the OPG of which we have a large percentage of Muslims amongst PCS members, I have promoted Islamopobia Month in November 2022. During my time on the PCS International Committee, I have built links with Trade Unions in many Muslim countries in North Africa and the Middle East including Palestine, Turkey, Iran and Kurdistan. I have denounced the appalling treatment of Muslim workers in the Uyghur region of China. As second generation Irish, I campaign for the rights of Black, Asian, Migrant and Ethnic Workers within the TUC. As a result, I pushed for the first historic meeting with the MoJ on behalf of Traveller, Gypsy and Roma rights in the Civil Service in 2020. I, also, ensured that PCS was the first British Trade Union apart from UNITE to support the campaign against the Water Charges in Ireland! I am committed to fighting racism as I ensured that PCS is affiliated to the International Brigades Memorial Trust, and write for the Searchlight magazine in condemning the emerging Far Right in Ireland!

In terms of representing devolved nations, I have spent time helping PCS members in Northern Ireland. I was invited to speak at the PCS lobby meeting in the Stormont Assembly on behalf of the NEC during October 2022. Since 2023, I am the NEC Liaison Officer for the PCS Regional Committee of Ireland. I raise issues concerning PCS members in Northern Ireland at NEC meetings on a regular basis. Owing to the successful devolved conferences and executive committees of Wales and Scotland. I am pushing for devolution within PCS in Northern Ireland.

I campaign against Climate Change. Jointly with the TSSA, I established the first Environmental Sustainability and Just Transition Network Committee within the TUC London, East and South East region. I, also, spoke at the COP26 demonstration in Cambridge on behalf of disabled people impacted by Climate Change, especially those who lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina. I am ensuring a stronger liaison between the PCS NEC and the Aviation Sector. It is important that PCS Representatives at airports have a stronger voice against Climate Change and campaign for more green jobs along with better pay, terms and conditions in the aviation industry.

I will continue to support Fran Heathcote as General Secretary and Martin Cavanagh as National President. A united leadership in working with them is vital, if we are to resist more attacks. I am a Socialist in the Labour Party that aims to legislate for protection at work from the first day and to repeal the Minimum Services Level Act as well as abolishing other anti – union laws. As a PCS Left Unity member, I ask you to vote for the Democracy Alliance.