It is a real honour standing once again to be re-elected as one of the Group Vice President of PCS Union’s largest group, the DWP Group.  This past year my responsibility has included the Corporate Centre, Fraud, Error and Debt, Personnel and all HR policies and Equality.  I have led the personal case team which has seen me representing our members in personal cases and taking on the attacks against our reps, winning cases and showing when they come for one of us, they are coming for the whole Union.  I have been the Chair of the National Black Members Committee and represent PCS on the TUC Race Relations Committee.

This past twelve months I have led discussion with the DWP to ensure we have advocated for our members, challenged when our hard fought rights have been infringed and ensured that the employer recognises our legal rights as an independent trade union.

With a strong Left Unity GEC we have delivered on our promises, we have delivered the largest campaign for the pay ballot and only the legacy Tory anti-Union law have stopped us from industrial action.  This coming year we will step up and fight to ends the chronic low pay and address the underlining issues around pay harmonisation across the Civil Servant.

I have been proud to have worked closely with our Group President Angela Grant, I have worked very closely with her and will continue to to support the Group President and I pledge to continue supporting our amazing team of candidates.  We have a great team of candidates for the DWP Group and I look forward to us being elected and continuing the work we will do.

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 my branch in Leeds and Stockport, then in the Black Members Committee in 2003 and then active 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. We will continue to oppose the 60% hybrid requirements to attend the office, we will continue to 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 goes 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 re-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 re-election to be Vice President of the DWP Group for the third 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 pcs@mohammedshafiq.net