I am proud to be standing for re-election as DWP Group Vice President. I have been a PCS member and representative since 2001 and am proud to be the Chair of the PCS Union National Black Members Committee. I am employed in DWP in the Finance Group and am a community activist committed to building a better world through unity.
This past year I have been the Vice President with responsibility for the Corporate Centre, Fraud Error and Debt, Personnel & equality and a member of the Pay Team focusing on Digital pay. I want to say how proud I have been working closely with the Assistant Secretaries David Burke, Bridget Corcoran, Sarah Morton and Joe Perry to represent the interests of our members and hold the employer to account on a range of legal requirements. None of this work would have been possible without the strong mandate Left Unity got in the elections last year and I look forward to you all supporting the election candidates in the 2025 elections.
I am often asked what the most satisfying part is of being a PCS representative?
I always reply that it is the personal cases that I do, travelling the breadth of the country saving members jobs, fighting for justice for bullying, harassment and discrimination cases and ensuring that our members don’t suffer in silence. My family pay a price for this travel and time away from home, I know they support the work I do and the difference I have made for our fellow members. So, thank you to the family for letting me do this important work!!. I never say no to any member and those that have been supported can testify to my passion, knowledge and skills in defending them.
I am proud to be a part of Left Unity leadership under our Group President Angela Grant. We are from the members, listen to you and fight for you and not outside interests like our opponents in this election. We have only one boss and that is you, our members! This past year we have seen the chaos our opponents in Broad Left and Independent Left have handled our pay campaign, forced members to continue to pay the levy and not having regards or compassion for members struggling and forced to cancel their membership. For months Left Unity have been demanding and voting to stop the levy, our opponents have defied and voted for the levy to stay in place and only recently have Left Unity with the support of members finally got them to see senses and pause the levy. This would not have happened without a strong Left Unity DWP Group and that is why it is so important to vote to re-elect us in these elections.
Left Unity fought this past year to see an above inflation pay rise and stood steadfast in our fight for better pay, conditions and pensions. With a change of Government and an end to the dreadful Tories we have a Labour Government who have adopted the same rhetoric towards working people, benefit claimants and the vulnerable. Rest assured with your support we will campaign for a fairer social security system, oppose the targeting of disabled people in attempts to reduce the benefit bill at the expenses of the most vulnerable and not the billionaire fat cats who are getting richer.
When it comes to the genocide in Gaza in which we have seen over 47 000 people being killed, I am proud under Left Unity’s leadership PCS Union has stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people. I am proud to have represented over 35 members in various cases related to the Israel/ Palestine violence and am deeply moved to report I won 34 cases and members jobs were saved.
PCS will be on the frontline fighting for our members and I urge you to support our election candidates to we get the largest mandate to oppose the policies of this Government and deliver for our members. When you vote for Left Unity in these elections you will be supporting:
• Oppose all office closures
• Increased staffing levels in DWP
• Oppose all privatisation and bringing outsourced services back into DWP
• Defend equality and oppose the attacks on the most vulnerable
• Oppose any changes to the hybrid working policy
So please vote for me to be re-elected as one of the Group Vice Presidents and the strong, passionate, committed and experienced Left Unity candidates in this upcoming election. As ever if you need any help or support, please reach out to me – pcs@mohammedshafiq.net