Wednesday 24 March 2010

Activists Meeting

PCS activists from branches in Leicestershire met to discuss the next steps in the campaign.

Watch out for updates on the PCS web site.

We also discussed the Make Your Vote Count campaign as the general election will be called soon.

Again keep a look out for updates.

I am now looking at the budget statement. The (not unexpected) news is that public spending will be squeezed and the government will try and cut the pensions bill.

Our fight needs to go on.

Update from the picket line

Up bright & early.

Exchanged hot coffee & warm words with management

But very few staff are around.

Saturday 20 March 2010

Strike Day 24 March 2010

Please come along and support PCS members on Wednesday 24th March, as they take national action against Government plans to slash accrued rights under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme enabling them to make job cuts on the cheap.
 
The changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme will see redundancy payments cut by up to 30%, paving the way for large scale redundancies as the Treasury looks to balance the books at the expense of public services.
 
There will be picket lines through Leicestershire on 24th (at Revenue & Customs Offices, Job centres & DWP offices, Ministry of Justice buildings, Land Registry Office, Crown Prosecution building and Prison Service offices), please come along and show your support for PCS members as once again the Government shows its contempt for hard working civil servants.
 
On Wednesday 24th there will be an activists meeting upstairs at The Ale Wagon on Charles Street, Leicester from 11.30am, members and other trade union activists most welcome. Can all PCS branches please ensure that their Make Your Vote Count co-ordinator attend the meeting at the Ale Wagon.
 
Please attend picket lines on 24th and attend the activists meeting to show your support to PCS members.
 
PCS Leicestershire District Committee
East Midlands Prison Service Branch
Leicestershire DWP Pensions Branch
Leicestershire DWP General Branch
Leicestershire Revenue & Customs Branch
Ministry Of Justice East Midlands Branch
Leicestershire Land Registry Branch
East Midlands Crown Prosecution Branch

Tuesday 16 March 2010

Branch Facebook Group

The branch now has a Facebook group for those of you who are into social networking.

it is there to discuss PCS policies and to follow the activities of the branch.

Search for PCS DWP Leicestershire General Branch and then get networking.

NB Please make sure that you read the warning before you post anything.

If I can work out how to add a link to this site I will.

Saturday 13 March 2010

Make Your Vote Count Campaign

Tony Church, Branch Vice-Chair, is our Make Your Vote Count (MYVC) co-ordinator. Here he explains about MYVC and suggests what you can do to assist the campaign.

MYVC has been an important part of PCS campaigning work for a number of years. It is about holding candidates in local and national elections to account and asking them where they stand on important PCS policy issues. With a General Election only weeks away, it is important that members make the most of the opportunity MYVC gives them to put the parliamentary hopefuls under pressure.

MYVC is also about stopping the far-right gaining seats both in local and parliamentary elections. We are an inclusive union that values diversity to ensure the maximum unity amongst our membership. We are implacably opposed to those who use the policies of hate to create divisions in society. Members can stop the far-right gaining a foothold by using their vote in this and other elections.

It is important that all members Register to vote and encourage their family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

Members also need to visit the Make Your Vote Count pages on the PCS website on a regular basis. We will be publishing statements from the candidates to hopefully help you to decide how to cast your vote and provide you with template letters that you can send to candidates in your constituency on various matters of concern to PCS members. Any replies you receive should be sent to italia690-myvc@yahoo.co.uk. We will try to publish as many as we can.

In addition, keep an eye on the Blog and the PCS website for details of ‘candidates’ question times’. We want to arrange as many of these as possible in the run-up to the General Election to give members the opportunity to put candidates on the spot, publically exploring where they stand on issues like the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, pay, jobs, privatisation and pensions.

General Elections empower working people for a short period and whilst they are not the ‘be all and end all’, they give us an important opportunity to put those who say they want to represent us on the spot.

It’s your vote. Use it. Make it count.

Thanks For Your Support

Thanks to all those members who supported the democratic decision of the union on 8 and 9 March.

I realise it was a sacrifice to all of us. Remember that for anyone in financial hardship there is a hardship fund.

The reports in the press and from PCS members showed up Tessa Jowell as either very badly briefed or a total fantasist.

Please see the PCS web site for reports and the latest news.

We need to continue to press management back to the negotiating table by ensuring that the overtime ban is held and that everyone continues their support on budget day, 24 March 2010.

The union nationally is pursuing legal action and lobbying MPs. if you could also lobby your MP we can apply maximum pressure.

The branch policy of local reps choosing to not give support to those who do not support the union will continue.

Monday 8 March 2010

At The Rally

A well attended rally at the Notts Oddfellows Club.

We have been interviewed by Radio Leicester & various other radio stations throughout the county, Leicester Mercury, and TV (both BBC & Channel 4)

The strike has been well supported throughout the civil service with 75-80% of people out in DWP, HMRC, MOJ & Land Registry.

Speeches were given by a National Vice President, DWP GEC member and reports from all the picket lines.

A message of support was also given by the local TUC from the other unions in the Leicester area.

The feeling of solidarity and support are a real encouragement to carry on the struggle to maintain and improve conditions for all members.

Together we can win.

I'm off, now, to celebrate the success of the day.

On The Picket Line

I'm standing outside Wellington Street.

It is cold but my heart is warmed by the fellow pickets & the fact that very few people have gone in.

We have had visits from canteen staff 3 times to bring hot coffee so we will carry on.

Next update from the rally.

Saturday 6 March 2010

Pay

The Labour Party say that public sector workers, most of whom are poorly paid, should accept pay rises of less than 1% for the sake of the economy and to set an example to the private sector.

The Tories think there should be no rise at all.

The good news is that one group of public sector workers have managed to achieve a rise of 1.5%, smashing the limits of the government and opposition.

The bad news is that it is those same MPs who support the limits for the rest of us that will be breaking their own rules.

I suppose they need the rise to nearly £66K now that they can't subsidise their salaries by fiddling their expenses.

The Playground Bully

I have heard the argument that because a number of public sector workers and workers in private industry have worse conditions than civil servants then we should just accept the changes to our conditions.

This is the same argument as saying that because the playground bully has stolen the lunch money from some of your friends you should go up to the bully and give him yours as well.

I believe that we need to stand up to bullies, in the playground, in the workplace or in government.

They are not going to take our money without a struggle.

Join the action on the 8th and 9th and don't work overtime.

Friday 5 March 2010

All Out on 8th & 9th

PCS members have voted for action & it is crucial that we all support it.

It looks as if management want to see how well supported the action is before they decide if they want further talks.

It is therefore important that we show them by supporting the strike & enforce the overtime ban afterwards.

Remember it is not just DWP but all of the civil service, & remember it is not just the compensation scheme but, if we lose, it will be much more likely that jobs will go and they will come after our pensions.

There is a hardship fund if anyone really cannot afford to lose pay (but it is really sobering how little we actually lose).

Come to the picket on Monday & Tuesday and then to the rally at the Notts Oddfellows Club on Humberstone Gate in Leicester from 11:30 on Monday. There will be PCS National speakers & support from the local trades council.

Together we can win.

Monday 1 March 2010

Civil Service Compensation Scheme

The votes are in and the fightback starts here.

The union will be out on strike on 8 and 9 March, not just Jobcentre Plus but the Pensions Centre too, not just DWP but HMRC, MOD, MOJ, Land Registry & all the other government departments throughout the UK.

We are hoping to hold a rally on 8 March at the Notts Oddfellows Club on Humberstone Gate in Leicester. I'll let you know the details when I have them, but it will be after picket duty.

Please read the PCS web site for the counter arguments to the management propaganda. They can put out their stuff on the intranet but if PCS tried to put our side or used e-mail to put our case then reps would be disciplined.

If you have any questions please add a comment to this post and I will try and reply.

See you all at the rally.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM took place last Tuesday at a packed Notts Oddfellows Club. We just about filled all the available seating.

I was re-elected as secretary so you will have to put up with my rants on the blog for another year. I would like to record my thanks to everyone who has supported the branch during the last year, especially the BEC & I am looking forward to the next one.

Mark Serwotka was inspirational as guest speaker and I would advise anyone who was unable to attend to try and hear him speak if you get the chance. He pulled no punches about how hard it would be for members over the next 12 months but was determined to lead the fightback on behalf of the membership.

We, as the ordinary members, need to make sure that we are just as resolute.