Public and Commercial Services Union

The Culture, media and sport occupational association (CMSOA) is the over-arching body covering all our PCS union bargaining units in the Culture sector.

It was formed in the late 1990s to pull together the diverse organisations that PCS union represents under the title of “culture” and delegates to its association executive committee (AEC) come from England, Scotland and Wales.

PCS in the culture sector

In the culture sector PCS is recognised in:

• Department of Culture Media and Sport
• Ministry of Defence
• national museums and galleries
• British Library
• charities
• historic palaces
• heritage sites
• lottery foundations
• the Royal Household
• sports and tourism bodies.

A few of the fields and jobs our members are in are visitor services, retail, IT, constabulary, security, portering, HR, cleaning, admin, conservationists, gardeners, butlers and technicians.

Many of the organisations covered are non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies sponsored by civil service departments, such as DCMS and the MoD or by the Corporation of London, the Northern Ireland and Welsh Assemblies and the Scottish Executive.

Others are independent charities or in the private sector.

Our aims and objectives

The CMSOA’s objectives are:

• to protect and promote the interests of members in the culture sector
• identify common concerns and issue and to discuss key bargaining issues and vocational trends in the sector
• to develop recruitment, organising and campaigning initiatives
• to develop agreed strategies for raising awareness of and negotiating on the concerns and issues with your employers
• to communicate national PCS policy
• to corporate with the union’s National Executive Committee in the conduct of the union’s affairs
• to ensure effective communication with all its members

The association executive committee

The CMSOA’s association executive committee is elected annually at the CMSOA annual conference from nominations made by branches at their branch’s annual general meeting (AGM).

It is comprised of a president, treasurer, organiser and communications officer.

In addition there are up to 10 committee members. The secretary is an appointed union officer and the association executive committee is also supported by the PCS negotiation officers and regional organiser working in the culture sector.

Any PCS member in the culture sector can stand for election to the association executive committee. Just ask about getting nominated at your branch annual general meeting.