For DWP Organiser

As the DWP Group Organiser since 2019, I am proud of the organisational work which has been done by DWP reps, particularly over the last year. The fact that the DWP group exceeded the 50% turnout threshold is testament to the foundations which have been built. This started by recruiting thousands of new members through digital means over the pandemic, and continued with building our network of activists, which was pivotal to our ballot performance.

Over the past year I have:

• Updated our new rep training materials
• Taken a lead on the recruitment of new members by sharing hints and tips throughout the group
• Shared best practice in campaigning techniques
• Organised the training of hundreds of new DWP activists
• Contacted members throughout the group as part of the pay campaign.

I understand the need to focus our efforts with DWP on strategic organisation:

• Working directly with branches to set out a clear plan for organising and recruiting within the branch
• Understanding where members and non-members are, allocating specific tasks and roles to branch officers, as well as working with regional and group officers and full-time officers, to ensure we prioritise organisation
• Working methodically and systematically to ask every non-member to join PCS and encouraging involvement and activism in our existing members
• Developing the skills and confidence of our current activists through training and sharing of best practice.

As part of this I will help organise welcome to PCS events for new recruits to help them understand what we do and why they need to be a part of PCS. This will help to retain them for the long term as well as developing a whole new layer of activists for the future.

I will support branches to continue the fantastic recruitment results we have achieved through the hard work undertaken during the ballot for action, consolidating and building on those achievements to build our strength in the workplace. By building our membership further we know this is key to our bargaining power when it comes to pressing the employer for improvements in pay and defending our pension, conditions and jobs.

I want to continue this work over the next electoral year and build upon the 1500 new members recruited to the group during January 2023. This work needs to be done alongside a group of Left Unity reps who will have the best interest at members at heart. Our group of candidates this year has a determination to succeed in our pay campaign and give us the best possible chance of winning, rather than simply launch a protest against the government. Please nominate and vote for me as the Group Organiser, and nominate and vote for the other Left Unity candidates on this list as well.