It is a real honour to be standing for Vice President of PCS Union’s largest group, the DWP Group.  This past year I have been the Assistant Secretary of the Group with responsibility for the Corporate Centre, Professional Managers Association and on the pay team.  This past twelve months have been one of the most challenging yet rewarding times.  We got a mandate for strike action and joined thousands for decent pay, pensions and saving jobs and we were able to move the Government for the first time ever on pay.  We did not get everything we asked for and the campaign goes on but one thing is clear without the leadership of Left Unity our members would have suffered.  The role of Vice Presidents is to support the Group President and I pledge to continue supporting our amazing team of candidates.  I have been honoured to be elected as an NEC member and to be a national leader as Chair of the National Black Members Committee.

For those who do not know me, the journey to be a PCS representative started in 2001 when I joined the Civil Service, becoming active in the Black Members Committee in 2003 and then active both locally and nationally.  The most satisfying aspect of being a trade unionist is helping your members with their many issues and problems, to be able to go into the meetings with confidence and knowledge enables you to do the best for the member and ultimately win which is what often happens.  That’s why I am proud to be part of PCS and Left Unity where equality, fairness and being a members led Union is what drives many of us. 

In all areas, Left Unity led GEC did not just talk a good talk, we rolled up our sleeves and helped our members.  Now more than every we need that continued leadership both at a national level and at a group level.

I am deeply honoured to be a candidate under the Left Unity banner, it will be important to connect and work with the current GEC to work on tackling under representation, the fight for a decent pay rise, making sure that the staffing crisis is solved by more staff. With the demand to work in the office for 60% of the week we will remind management that working from home does not lead to less productivity so these political attacks from obsessed Ministers must stop.

I am proud to be part of a team on the DWP GEC, that amplifies the achievements and to get to battle for all our members.  We have seen all parts of PCS come together to help our members, challenge the employer around health & Safety, remote working, well-being, equality and if elected I promise to support my GEC colleagues.

In the National Black Members Committee, I have led our work in advocating for Palestine and speaking out against the horrific scenes from Gaza where we have seen so much destruction.  The events on October 7^th were horrific and worthy of condemnation and as trade unionists we stand for humanity and the sanctity of human life.  On Racism, we have had virtual meetings with our black members, tacking inequality and promoting services to bring communities together is what Left Unity stands for and I am proud to join the campaign.

So, in conclusion, it is an honour to seek election to be Vice President of the DWP Group for the first time.  I am determined to do all I can to help the Union deliver more for our members, better and fair pay, oppose job cuts, pension reform and better working conditions.

Please take your time to vote for me and all the left unity colleagues and if you wish to reach out please email mohammeds@pcs.org.uk