On the 5th of January reps in DWP branches may have received a message sent from Craig Worswick, as the Secretary of Greater Manchester branch, calling a reps meeting on 19th January via Zoom. Whilst branches have no mandate to call meetings of other branches, which was pointed out to him by PCS officers, a decision has been made to proceed with the meeting.
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Fran Heathcote speaking at Newcastle #KilltheBill protest
PCS Left Unity Conference report
Left Unity Chair, Lorna Merry, welcomed delegates to the second online Conference, with many important issues of policy to address, under the broad headings of Coronavirus, National Campaign, Equality and Other motions. The conference was well-attended, with lots of contributions and interventions, and the mood was positive and determined.
Continue readingFighting for Covid safety in the DWP
Since the arrival of the Omicron Covid variant we have experience the horrific deja vu of the DWP response to the crisis. At every turn in the last two years the department has been behind the curve, only responding to the danger after the event. We have been witnessing the same with Omicron. This is no surprise of course when their masters in Parliament treat the safety of the public with disdain.
Continue readingSolidarity with UCU strikes
PCS offer you solidarity and support for this important action.
We wholeheartedly back your action and your campaign. It is clear that UCU members rights to fair working terms and conditions are being treated with disdain – scapegoated in the rabid push for marketisation of education. Casual contracts, insecure work, have been used for too long in education and are not compatible with the security and dignity in work that is deserved. Pay cuts, pensions, inequality and increased work pressure – doesn’t create an arena where ideas can flourish.
Continue readingPCS Joins Legal Challenge of Government Asylum Pushback Policy
We are proud to publish the following article by James Cox, President Home Office group (personal capacity) and Left Unity member.
The continued refugee crisis involving small boats crossing the channel has been ongoing for several years now but has recently received much more scrutiny. PCS members working in the Home Office have been at the front line of this. Members have been deeply affected by the amount and intensity of the work and traumatised by the things they have seen.
Continue readingMassive marches demand real action to stop climate change
Hundreds of thousands of people joined marches on November 6th called in response to the COP26 conference in Glasgow.
Reports include 100,000 in Glasgow, 20,000 in London and several thousand in all the major cities.
This is a massive step forward in the movement to force our government to take real action to halt climate change. Across the demonstrations there was a recognition that Boris Johnson’s government is more interested in Greenwashing the market and profits than they are in saving the planet.
Continue readingCOP26 – Join the protests and demonstrations
The COP 26 UN global climate summit, begins in Glasgow this weekend.
In recent weeks there has been a deluge of news coverage of climate issues and grand statements and promises from world leaders, alongside adverts from companies claiming to be green and articles telling us the best things to buy to ‘save the planet’, timed to coincide with the flurry of aircraft full of suited dignitaries landing in Scotland.
Continue readingSTUC Women’s conference report
On 25th and 26th October I attended the 94th STUC Women’s Conference as a delegate for PCS. Having attended the conference many times before, this was my first as an NEC delegate, and the first (and hopefully last) one held online.
We had a full complement of LU delegates for our union and each of us took part in the debates on covid, COP26, women’s rights, disabled women, pay and women’s safety.
Continue readingUnite Against Homophobia
PCS members joined a solidarity protest against homophobic attacks in Birmingham on Thursday.
There have been a spate of attacks in the gay village area recently, with people being bottled and one person left unconscious.
The protest on Thursday drew several hundred people including many people from the LBGT+ community, trade unionists from the PCS, NEU, UCU and UNISON, local Labour councillors and campaigners. A wide range of people spoke condemning the attacks and expressing solidarity. Several speakers highlighted the rising tide of Transphobia and the need to resist it. In a moving speech two of the victims of these attacks spoke up and called for us all to stand together.
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PCS Left Unity 