Thursday 19 November 2009

BDC to CC Consultation

We attempted to hold our meeting on 20 November 2009.

PCS was merely trying to find out what members thought but management decided that we couldn't meet in the car park. As every meeting without facilities had been held there since the office had opened I don't think that anyone was surprised by the location.

PCS was evicted from the car park & forced to meet in a location that could have put members at risk.

PCS found a safer location & gave an update but due to the disruption were unable to take any feedback.

The branch enabled everyone to be back at their desk within 15 minutes & therefore not suffer any penalty.

If you have any comments please respond to this post.

If it is any way contentious I suggest that this is done from your home and not on DWP IT equipment.

BDC to Contact Centre Consultation Meetings

PCS have called further consultation meetings about the change.

Management nationally have refused to allow us time & a venue to hold these meetings.

We will find a way to consult the members affected.

Someone is listening to the concerns of staff, but it doesn't appear to be national management.

Reasons to vote for Mark Serwotka

The branch voted to nominate Mark to continue in his role of PCS General Secretary.

The branch therefore recommends that you vote for him.

See the leaflet, here, for some of the reasons.

Wednesday 18 November 2009

General Secretary Election

The nominations are in and there are two candidates.

In order to be nominated the candidates needed the support of 15 branches. Rob Bryson got 16 and Mark got 199 including ours.

This does not mean that the election result is a forgone conclusion. All members need to ensure that they vote to give Mark the mandate that he needs to take the campaigns forward.

Vote Mark Serwotka for General Secretary as soon as you receive your ballot paper.

Monday 16 November 2009

New Chief Executive for Jobcentre Plus

Darra Singh is making much of his attempt to learn about the business by going back to the floor.

His blog on the intranet suggests that maybe he is getting some insight into the customer experience.

We need to make sure that he is also made fully aware of how his staff are feeling.

He says that he is keen to hear our ideas so let's bombard him with e-mails about the transformation of the Leicester BDC to a Contact Centre.

Check out the DWP part of the PCS web site for the draft letter to send him.

The more we send, the more he will realise the strength of feeling.

Friday 6 November 2009

Bonfire Night

I couldn't blog over the weekend as I had my parents over for our annual bonfire night celebrations.

It is an odd celebration where we celebrate the failure of the gunpowder plot by simulating the explosion if it had been successful!

While I have no sympathy for a religious assassination, I do support freedom for people to practice their faith and the overthrow of the monarchy.

Like many events in history we all draw the lessons we choose from it.

Whatever conclusions you draw, make an excuse for a party.

Thursday 5 November 2009

Regional BFD ER Informal

I went to the BFD Regional meeting with PCS today.

The new regional director, Linda Regan, came across as reasonable and staff focused.

The bad news is that we have no answers to our questions.

We don't know when the BDC will become a CCD site, we don't know what services will be delivered from Wellington Street & we don't know who will be redeployed for health reasons, etc.

Hopefully we will have more answers at our next meeting in December.

I will let you know.

Monday 2 November 2009

General Secretary Election

PCS is a campaigning union for its members and for the wider movement.

It is regarded as a leading union in the TUC and a high profile voice for the working person.

We have won victories and prevented some of the worst management initiatives taking place.

This is in no small part thanks to the leadership of our current General Secretary, Mark Serwotka.

Our branch has nominated him to continue in post so I urge you all to vote for him when you get your ballot paper.

Mark has agreed to come and speak at our AGM in February next year. Let's welcome him as our General Secretary for another 5 years.

Beware of pickpockets

I was really pleased with the turnout at the two Wellington Street meetings about the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. There were over 100 people at the meetings altogether and the atmosphere was inspiring.

The changes mean that people who are made redundant or leave early could have their compensation reduced by a third, or even more in some cases. Not only will your job be less secure, but you will get less compensation.

Not satisfied with this we also face attacks on pay (our marvellous 3 year deal of 2%, 0% and 1% will be followed this year by between 0 & 1% and next year by 0%).

It upsets my sense of justice that bankers who brought the economy to it's knees continue to get high salaries and low paid civil servants, who are preventing the victims of the bankers from starving to death, get penalised financially.

We need to stand up against pickpockets, whether they are in the street or in the House of Commons.