I am seeking re-election to the NEC.

I have been a member of PCS since I joined the civil service in 1999. I was raised by trade unionists. My mother was a rep in EIS for many years before she retired, and my father had been a shop steward when he worked as a screen printer. Thanks to this upbringing, I have always held the belief that you should join and play an active part in your trade union.

I have been a rep and a member of Left Unity for 19 years, having initially played a part in an advocate-type role. I started as a Union Learning Rep, then Branch Equality Officer, before being elected as the first female Chair of the DWP Glasgow Branch in 2015, proudly holding this position until stepping down in 2022.

I was elected to the DWP GEC in 2019. I was co-opted to Group Journal Editor role in 2020 and elected to this role in 2021, before being elected as Group Assistant Secretary in 2022.

I have sat on the PCS Scotland Committee at various periods over a number of years, elected as Vice Chair in 2019, and as Chair in 2022. I was actively involved in setting up the Scottish Executive Committee, and have been elected unopposed as Co-Convenor. I look forward to this committee working alongside the NEC, while making policy on decisions that affect members living and working in Scotland.

I have been involved in a variety of Equality Committees throughout my time as a rep, and currently represent PCS on the STUC Women’s Committee. I believe our members are the lifeblood of our union, and that we should be representative of all of our members.

Since my election to the NEC in 2021, I have sat on a number of committees, including the Devolved Administration Committee, National Editorial Board, and the National Women’s Forum.

I am proud to be part of a strong Democracy Alliance led NEC. I strongly believe our strategy of action over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms was the correct one. Our members deserve a pay rise that not only rewards them for the work they continued to carry out throughout the pandemic, but also allows them to keep up with the cost of living and more. Our members also deserve to be paid back the money they are owed from overpaying into their pensions, not forced to cover the cost of this. We listened to our members who have told us that one or two day strikes do not work, as well as those who told us that they cannot afford to strike. Our strategy allowed us to target areas where we believed would have the best impact, taking members out for days at a time while they received strike pay for doing so, something that was only made possible by members contributing to our fighting fund via a levy. We were then able to use national action alongside other unions at times that would have maximum impact.

Our strategy did win significant gains for our members, however we know that it wasn’t enough, and nowhere near what we were demanding. Taking a pause on action to enter into talks at departmental level and with the Cabinet Office was the correct decision, endorsed by the membership by ballot, however it is becoming clear that we may need to ballot our members again. The campaign has not stopped, and the Democracy Alliance led NEC is the best team to lead our members in the next phase..

I am extremely proud of the work that our NEC has done in taking the government to court, and challenging their Rwanda policy, a policy that was found to be illegal, and we will continue to oppose any plans to implement this in any form. Our Safe Passage policy is fundamental in this fight, and we will continue the fight for the rights of refugees fleeing persecution.

I have been involved with Stand Up To Racism since 2019 on behalf of PCS Scotland Committee, and have spoken on behalf of PCS at their Glasgow rallies on UN Anti Racism Day, as well as speaking at fringe meetings at STUC Congress and addressing local campaigns. I have spoken on behalf of our union at vigils for Sheku Bayoh, bringing messages of love, support and solidarity to his family in their quest for justice. I am proud of the work PCS has done alongside SUTR to challenge racism in the workplace and in the wider society.

Our members need and deserve the strong leadership Democracy Alliance provides, and if re-elected I will continue to work alongside this NEC to build on the work we have started and campaign for our members on all issues.