PCS

Public & Commercial Services Union - trade union for civil servants

Airport workers face pensions fight

On 26 November, National Air Traffic Services (NATS) staff were faced with a grim announcement from management: their Defined Benefit pension scheme was in deficit to the tune of £1bn, and threatened to bring down the company (again). Part of the solution is a change from RPI to CPI, following the well-worn path of the public sector. In a letter sent to the homes of all 4,500 employees, the CEO assured members that there will be “measured and proportionate contributions from all stakeholders”, though no details have been given as to how any other party is to contribute. Despite management’s...

Daring strategy needed in civil service fight

A statement from the civil service union PCS says: “The union’s national executive [NEC] has agreed plans for a determined campaign for fair pay and working conditions, including a ballot for industrial action by more than a quarter of a million civil and public servants.” “The NEC agreed that if employers do not respond satisfactorily to our demands, we will move to a national ballot in the new year for a programme of industrial action.” One of “the demands” is on pay, yet we are still in a pay dispute from 2011! In the ballot that started in May 2011, the NEC said that demand was for “an end...

Industrial news in brief

Civil servants held protest meetings and rallies around the country on Friday 30 November as part of a Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) campaign against government attacks on terms and conditions. The 10 December PCS National Executive will discuss a ballot for national action in the new year, but the Department for Work and Pensions Group Executive within PCS has already agreed to ballot for a strike. The ballot begins on 12 December, with a strike planned for 21 January if a “yes” vote is secured. Workers at the Seaham Pensions Centre, near Sunderland, which processes pensions...

Contact Centre dispute settled, but deal is poor

The PCS DWP Contact Centre ballot (see Solidarity 262, 26 October 2012) over whether to accept the management "offer" over working conditions is out, with 76.6% voting yes, and 23.4% voting no, on a turnout of 31.4%. AWL members and those in Independent Left and other groups (including SWP members) will be disappointed with this result, and Jobcentre Plus management will clearly be delighted, but the fact is that for many members, they trust in their leadership to recommend the best outcome for them, and a "Vote Yes" flyer was included with the ballot paper. The Socialist Party-led Group...

Industrial news in brief

Rank-and-file civil servants are taking part in walkouts and protests on 14 November. This is not only to coincide with the general strikes across Europe, but to draw attention to government attacks on terms and conditions. The day of action follows a wildcat walkout at HMRC in Coventry, in response to a visit by Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude. Already the development has forced movement from the union leadership, who have called a follow up day of action on 30 November. Activists have said they will call a further day of action in December, and are calling for more sporadic actions at...

Industrial news in brief

Workers at the St Pancras Station outlet of chain sandwich shop Pret A Manger are facing intimidation and victimisation for organising a trade union in the store. A group of workers began organising in August 2012, around a series of ongoing grievances including non-payment, late notification of shift changes, bullying by managers, and being rostered fewer hours than their stated contracts. A petition around these demands was signed by nearly half of all staff working in the store. Almost straight away, key organisers found themselves victimised. One worker was given a disciplinary hearing for...

Contact Centre dispute: reject the deal

Workers in Jobcentre Plus Contact Centres have been in dispute over working conditions since 2009. There have been several strikes since the beginning of 2011. In each case Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) management have been adamant there will be no settlement after action, but in each case the strikes have been well supported and small gains have been won. After the last strike, in August, again some small gains were made, but there is still much to fight for before Contact Centre working conditions are comparable with those of colleagues in other parts of Jobcentre Plus. However, the...

Tory plans to attack civil service conditions: fightback needed now

The Government has ordered all departments within the civil service to undertake an urgent review of terms and conditions. Departments have been told that “This is our opportunity to tackle those terms and conditions where we have been less responsive in the past as well those that have left the Civil Service open to ridicule”. We know that privilege days will be in the scope of the review; though not the one associated with the Queen’s Birthday (obviously the Tories devotion to Queen outstrips their determination to worsen conditions for public sector workers). According to the Guardian, who...

Industrial news in brief

French ferry workers employed by Brittany Ferries, which serves several ports in the UK, launched a prolonged strike against pay cuts and increases in working hours. The workers, who are members of the CGT and CFDT unions (both based in France), walked out on Friday 21 September after bosses refused to back down on plans to recoup some of the company’s £56 million deficit by increasing working hours by up to 25%. The strike has already caused considerable financial disruption to the company, forcing them to reimburse passengers whose journeys were disrupted. Rail workers in pay strike Members...

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