Public and Commercial Services Union

1 July 2008 - BB/59/08

Ballot to endorse the Protocol on avoidance of compulsory redundancy
Ballot for national action on pay
 

 

The national executive committee has met in a special session to consider the implementation of emergency motion 1 carried at ADC 2008. This briefing informs branches of the decisions taken.

At ADC 2008 delegates voted by a large majority to carry an emergency motion proposed by the national executive committee.

The text of the motion was circulated to branches in BB.52.08.

The motion covered two major issues: first, endorsement of the ‘Protocol for handling surplus staff situations’ and the associated guidance on privatisation and outsourcing.

Secondly, conference agreed that securing changes to the Treasury’s Pay Remit Guidance, and so defending the living standards of our members, should now become the focus of our National Campaign and the subject of a ballot for national action.

National ballot on the protocol

At its special meeting, the NEC agreed that the national ballot on the Protocol on avoiding compulsory redundancy will take place during August. The policy and resources committee will now finalise a timetable and further details will be issued separately soon.

Members in the civil service and NDPBs will be asked to endorse the agreement on the basis that, following a long campaign, we have secured meaningful protection for our members from compulsory redundancy: action gets results.

Pay

We continue to be vigilant over the application of the Protocol agreement, and we continue to campaign against closures and cuts.

Nevertheless, pay is now a critical issue. The NEC agreed unanimously to hold a ballot in September of our members affected by the government’s public sector pay policy of sub-inflation increases.

The ballot will ask members to vote for a programme of discontinuous national industrial action. The aim will be to secure changes to the Treasury’s remit guidance that will permit consolidated increases to basic pay of at least the level of inflation measured by RPI.

The figures for May showed a continuing upward trend in inflation, with the RPI reaching 4.3%, and the CPI 3.3%. The rises in both fuel and food commodities are likely to continue to feed into further rises in inflation over the next few months. Even the CPI may rise to 4% before the end of the year.

Members everywhere are feeing the effects of inflation on their living standards and, disgracefully, are being told to accept real terms pay cuts.
Members everywhere are feeing the effects of inflation on their living standards and, disgracefully, are being told to accept real terms pay cuts.

Talks with Treasury

In addition to the continuing national talks on pay reform, a letter was sent by the Council of Civil Service Unions to the Treasury chief secretary in early June, setting out our demands for substantial changes to the current Treasury pay remit guidance.

PCS has also submitted its national pay claim. A meeting with the chief secretary will now take place on 15 July.

Ballot on action

In the absence of a positive response to our demands from the chief secretary, the NEC has agreed unanimously that a national industrial action ballot should be held in mid-September, with the final details to be confirmed at the September NEC meeting.

The NEC will now consult with our Groups at a meeting of the national campaign liaison group about the best form of organisation of an industrial action programme to include national action but also action on a targeted sectoral basis.

Targeted sectoral action would comprise action in various industrially or operationally related sections of the membership – for example in the various parts of the justice sector (courts, prisons, CPS), Education and Skills, Home Office/Border Agency/SOCA.

All groups and national branches will also be encouraged to explore and pursue action short of strike that impacts on management's targets and service delivery as well as action short of a strike throughout the period.

Workplace meetings

The NEC further agreed that workplace meetings should be organised during July and August to build support for the ballot. The September NEC meeting will consider the feedback from these meetings and from the NCLG and will then agree the final ballot materials. Further details will be issued shortly.

Joint union action

Following the success and impact of the strike on April 24, when over 100,000 PCS members took action at the same time as NUT and UCU members, the campaign should involve co-ordinated action with other public sector unions when possible and appropriate.

The NEC will therefore strongly urge all groups having a mandate for discontinuous action over pay to call action alongside of local government unions on 16-17 July.

A meeting of these Groups will be convened on 3 July to discuss the possibilities for joint union action.

The NEC will continue to raise the issue of united public sector action at the TUC and directly with other unions. Branches are encouraged to make contact with their local public sector colleagues.

A pay forum of representatives from all groups and national branches will also be held on 17 July.

Political campaigning

The TUC rally and lobby on 9 June was very well attended, with PCS well represented, showing the potential for joint campaigning on this issue. The rally was addressed by a number of general secretaries and senior officials, beginning with Brendan Barber, and calls for action were well received.

Moving forward, the campaign will also involve PCS campaigning among members of the national parliaments, assemblies and local authorities, by for example strengthening our ‘Make Your Vote Count’ initiative.

The PRC will now draw up additional campaign plans to supplement the programme of industrial action, including the production of campaign literature, posters for workplaces, members leaflets and circulars and material for parliamentary campaigning.

Branches are now asked to meet to discuss initial preparations for the ballot on acceptance of the national protocol and for the ballot on industrial action. Further details will be issued as soon as possible.

If you would like a speaker from the NEC to address your branch committee on the National Pay Campaign please contact the General Secretary’s Office by emailing mark@pcs.org.uk

Mark Serwotka, general secretary

Janice Godrich, president