I’ve been a PCS activist for 23 years and a member of LU since my first National Conference in 2003.

Over the years I have been a Branch Rep, Branch Organiser, Health and Safety officer, Union Learning Rep, DWP Group Executive Committee member and Ops TU Secretary. As a member of the GEC it has also been my privilege to be able to train a number of Reps on the New Reps course and the Personal Case’s Course.

I am proud to be a member of a group that I believe hasn’t just shown leadership within PCS but in the wider Trade Union Movement throughout the years.

I have always been of the belief that members and their issues are why we are TU Representatives and it is why we need a strong Leadership that can deliver for them.

Our members are the Union and we need to keep focusing on their circumstances and opinions rather than the opinions of external political parties. If we want to change the attitude within Government we need to do so as a group that is clear in its strategy and with the members fully behind us.

That’s why I believe that the current LU Leadership and those who have been nominated by LU continue to be our way forward, our record shows that we can be trusted to deliver for members.

The Government continue to take the civil service for granted with regards to pay and conditions of service. The call for 60% of time spent in the office caused confusion and hardship for some of our members and the current energy crisis is making this worse. LU believes that all members should have flexible access to hybrid working. We believe that there is no reason for our Jobcentre members to attend the office 100% of their working time when there are means to allow them to work some of this at home, and we also believe there is no reason behind the 60% in office figure for their colleagues. This is an arbitrary figure plucked out the air by a minister and DWP have run with it. Despite this Management and the Government are still pushing this and putting staff under pressure rather than having meaningful talks. We need a strong GEC to continue to fight back on this.

I am therefore seeking to continue my work on the GEC along with my LU colleagues to further the fight for better pay and conditions, to ensure staff safety and to organise members in our struggle.

Recruiting new members to the union, including those joining DWP for the first time, will be key to ensuring we build our strength and our voice for members at work. I will work to ensure that every new entrant into the Department is not only asked to join PCS but is shown why it’s so important they are part of the fight for their interests at work.

Only where we have good organisation and good reps speaking up for members can we continue to win concessions. As a member of Left Unity I’m determined to ensure we have both in DWP.

Please vote for me and the other Left Unity candidates in the forthcoming DWP Group election and re-elect Angela Grant as Group President.