I’ve been a PCS rep for 18 years, motivated by my belief in the need for fairness and equality, but also with the knowledge that many of the rights and conditions we have in work and in society were not given but won.

PCS has been an active and fighting trade union for many years. Left Unity along with the PCS democrats form the PCS Democracy Alliance and we have been the driving force behind PCS’ activity for many years.

I am honoured to be standing for re-election to the NEC for the first time as part of the Democracy Alliance. We have been at the forefront of the battles to take forward members issues throughout the past year; whether that be keeping members safe at work by pushing back Government plans to force members back into offices before it was safe to do so, fighting for and achieving more staff in numerous Departments (including my own DWP), and securing permanent contracts for fixed term staff.

I have been involved in the fight for members working on outsourced contracts across the Civil Service to be paid for sick absences related to Covid at their full pay rate in order to preserve both their own safety as well as their colleagues. Alongside this I am involved in pressing for improvements to pay and conditions for outsourced staff and we are fighting for their work and their jobs to be brought back in-house as part of the Civil Service.

In 2022 we know that Pay is the biggest single concern facing our members. Years of pay restraint has led to significant cuts in real pay for thousands of our members. When coupled with the rising inflation and soaring energy bills there can be no doubt of the seriousness of this issue.

I along with others in the Democracy Alliance are working hard to win the ballot over Pay, Pensions and the Cost-of-Living crisis. It cannot be overstated the importance of winning this resoundingly to send a message to the Government that our members will no longer accept poverty pay. We have helped keep society going across the UK and Northern Ireland during the pandemic and we refuse to shoulder the bill for it by accepting cuts in rea terms in or wages or the ongoing robbery of our Pensions.

Please vote for everyone on the Democracy Alliance NEC slate in the coming elections, as well as voting for action over pay in the National ballot which starts on 14^th February!

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Full Democracy Alliance nomination list