Mark Baker. PCS Public Sector Group – MHCLG PINS branch

International events show that we live in increasingly uncertain and dangerous times. After a year of chaos, last May members returned to an experienced and proven leadership to take our union forward.   We have restored stability, with membership levels recovering from the dip caused by their decisions on the levy. 

We have supported successful action across our union using our industrial and financial resources to support well planned campaigns to make gains in places like MyCSP.  When the scale of pension chaos became clear, we used our political clout to press for action, winning financial and practical support for members, and continue to do so exposing the national scandal of a government’s manifesto pledge of a tidal wave of insourcing that they continue to outsource CS work to failed providers like Capita.   

We’ve consulted members at every stage of our national campaign. Our opponents in this election believe decisions should be made by activists rather than members.    

Whilst talks have made good progress our national campaign objectives remain:

Restoration of decent levels of pay for all members and pay coherence

A Job security agreement with increased flexible working opportunities

Commitment to rebuilding a sustainable, affordable Fighting Fund

We will consult members on these issues. No decision will be taken about you, without you.

We’ve also delivered

A legal strategy that won on check off and the compensation scheme

An organising strategy to build our Union

New Executive bodies empowering our members in Scotland and Wales

Increased representation for our Equality strands and Young members

Improved legal support for members and reps

An established Parliamentary Group providing a voice for our members in Parliament

Positive political campaigning on welfare, tax justice, and in defence of public services

Political and campaign alliances against Far Right groups who’s politics of hate pose a threat to our jobs, flexible working and equality and inclusion policies.

We need unity in the face of these attacks more than ever. We face big challenges ahead and need leaders prepared to make decisions based on members interests, not internal PCS politics. 

Please reject the division our opponents would bring and re-elect a tried and tested team that a Democracy Alliance leadership would provide. I’ve been proud to be part of that team since 2002 and an elected NEC member for much of that time.    

I have been active in the union for over thirty years – the whole of my working life. Nearly all of this time is with the Planning Inspectorate – an Executive Agency of MHCLG, which alongside many other smaller diverse employers are organised in the PCS Public Sector Group. 

I have remained a Branch Secretary during my time on the NEC carrying out personal casework, negotiating and organising at a local level, balancing this with a frontline official job in recent years thereby understanding all the pressures that Branch and Group reps are under on an everyday basis.

I have held most Branch roles over the years but also a leading lay pay and conditions negotiator in what remains a busy bargaining unit – we have negotiated a range of measures in recent years to increase flexibility on an agreed basis to our members work/life balance which in turn has improved diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Having to organise our members in different ways has proved challenging but the fact that we have managed to win legal mandates in three successful industrial action ballots and improved membership and activity levels shows that we are adapting to these changed circumstances with increasing levels of success.   

I have also served on various NEC sub-committees including the Policy and Resources Committee, Finance and International Committees and the South West Regional Committee previously as Chair. Our large and very diverse region has been at the forefront of many of the Union’s national campaigns around pay and against office closures. I have also previously acted as NEC Liaison Officer for the HMRC Group bringing me experience of how larger Groups operate as well.

Our Left Unity team of candidates, part of the Democracy Alliance NEC list, combine both newer reps and the vital experience required in leadership as well as being fully representative of the diversity of our PCS membership.

I hope and trust members will continue to give us the support to continue this work.