Pay campaign:
Resisting cuts
rise up for a fairer deal on the ground
Recruitment success:
the facts in figures
Pages 6 & 7
Page 10
PCSPeople
Pages 8 & 9
Issue 1 • 2017
Now is the
time to
campaign
on pay
Members urged to get
involved in pay protests
on 31 March day of
action and beyond.
P
8627
Photograph: Andrew Aitchison
ay has been placed high among the
union’s priorities for this year, with
the launch of a new campaign to fight
for a fair rise and an end to the 1% pay cap.
Having put up with years of pay
restrictions that have seen the value of their
income draining away, the time has come
for PCS members to say enough is enough.
Not only have successive governments
put a stranglehold on pay in the public sector
as a whole, wages have been further eroded
in the civil service and related areas by the
removal of pay progression, and rising
pension and National Insurance payments.
This means civil service pay has fallen
behind inflation, dropped below average
earnings and even failed to keep up with
overall public sector wage levels.
And figures show it’s only going
to get worse.
UK pay growth is slowing, hitting living
standards yet again, and inflation is set
to rise considerably in the next four years.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies says typical
household incomes won’t rise over the next
two years, prolonging the worst squeeze
we have seen in six decades.
Yet the government wants to keep the
unnecessary 1% pay cap until 2020. If that
is allowed to happen, average civil service
pay levels will have dropped by up to 20.4%
in the decade since the cap was imposed.
Thousands of PCS members are already
feeling the strain caused by job cuts and
office closures, and many now say they
are struggling to get by each month.
A successful campaign to tackle pay will
rely on members getting involved, starting
with our payday protests on 31 March.
OUR NHS: PCS members from across the UK turned out to a mass rally in London to defend the NHS against government cuts. They were joined
by the union’s general secretary, who was making his first public appearance since having a successful heart transplant in December. Mark
Serwotka told the crowd: “I wouldn’t be here today, and neither would many others, if it wasn’t for the dedication of the most marvellous public
sector workers we have known… our NHS staff.” See page 2.
Public and Commercial Services union | pcs.org.uk
continued on page 2
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FIND OUT MORE Pay campaign special
report, p6–7 pcs.org.uk/pay
Update
The Tories have repeatedly trotted
out empty promises to help those
who are ‘just about managing’.
But as PCS general secretary
Mark Serwotka says, its own
workforce is viewed as the “poor
relation” when it comes to pay.
This month the chancellor’s
budget made it clear the
government intends to keep going
down the same route of austerity
for the majority.
The union had called on Philip
Hammond to use the budget
to reverse his predecessor’s
“failed plan”, stop making yet
more cuts and put money back
in people’s pockets.
But in refusing to lift the 1%
public sector pay cap, Hammond
condemned those “just managing”
civil servants to wage cuts
of up to a fifth.
Serwotka added: “The
government’s own workforce…
deserve the help the prime
minister promised they would get.
“We will continue to fight to
break the 1% pay cap.”
of people with common
mental health problems
are in employment
PCS rallies round our NHS
Photograph: Andrew Aitchison
continued from page 1
64%
Pay claim
As well as the pay day protests,
the first phase of the union’s pay
campaign will involve putting
pressure on ministers to end the
1% pay cap and allow rises that
go above inflation.
PCS will lobby key politicians
and present compelling evidence
to the Treasury and Cabinet Office
that civil service pay has fallen
significantly behind both the
private and public sectors.
The union has also submitted
a national pay claim to the Cabinet
Office minister and the head of the
civil service, for a pay increase
of 5% or £1,200, whichever
is the greater.
Testimonies from those taking
action on 31 March, and beyond,
will help back up the claim and
show it has the support of the
union’s membership.
G
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Pay campaign report, p6–7
pcs.org.uk/pay
NHS DEMO
An estimated 250,000 people,
including PCS members from
all over the UK, marched
through London to protest
against NHS cuts.
The Our NHS rally, on 4 March,
saw trade unionists, health
workers, campaigners and angry
citizens unite to call for an end
to cuts and closures, and to pay
restraint for NHS staff and fellow
public sector workers.
Disgraceful treatment
The march, which ended with
a series of rousing speeches
outside parliament, was thought
to be the biggest ever seen in
defence of the NHS.
Among the key speakers was PCS
general secretary Mark Serwotka,
who is recovering from a recent
heart transplant, carried out at
Papworth NHS Trust in December.
He said the march had a special
meaning for him.
“When we think of the NHS we
think of doctors and nurses, but in
the four months that I was in
hospital, I saw what a fantastic
team it was: porters, catering staff,
cleaners, physiotherapists,
community nurses, and
paediatricians – all of the people
we rely on from birth through the
whole of our lives.
“These workers are being treated
in the most disgraceful way,”
he said.
“We’re marching for the NHS.
We are against cuts, closures and
privatisations. But the most
important part of [it] is the staff.
NHS workers, just like the PCS
members that I represent, and all
our public sector workers, have had
seven years of pay cuts under this
brutal Tory government,” he added.
‘Bully the Tories’
He called on united action to
campaign against cuts and break
the 1% public sector pay cap.
Serwotka said he had spoken
to many members of staff who were
heartbroken at being forced to leave
their jobs because they couldn’t
make ends meet.
John Lister from Health
Campaigns Together, which
jointly organised the event,
said the march “must not
be an end, but a beginning”.
He said those backing the demo
should unite to build a broader
movement in defence of the NHS
“that is big enough and strong
enough to bully the Tories and force
them to back down”.
It should be a movement that can
“pile pressure on each CCG (Clinical
Commissioning Group), every trust,
every council, councillor and MP,”
he added.
Shadow chancellor John
McDonnell promised to defend
the health service from any efforts
to privatise it.
“We know Theresa May’s plans
to let private American companies
profit from our NHS.
“But whatever it takes, we will
save the NHS,” McDonnell told
the crowd.
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FIND OUT MORE
healthcampaignstogether.com
Legal challenge mounted over redundancy cuts
CSCS CAMPAIGN
The union’s long-running
battle against cuts to redundancy
payments will be taken to the
courts, after it received advice that
ministers may have acted
unlawfully.
PCS will take the action jointly
with another trade union, the
Prison Officers’ Association (POA).
Cuts to the Civil Service
Compensation Scheme (CSCS) are
designed to make it quicker, easier
and cheaper for the government
2 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
to cuts tens of thousands more civil said they rejected the government’s
service posts.
stance.
The strength
Cuts of at least
“We will not
of feeling shown
25% have been
by members who
imposed on the
be bullied and
voted in a ballot on
we are determined scheme, affecting
the issue, in
redundancy pay,
to keep up the
November,
voluntary exit
campaign
gave PCS a
and redundancy
against
these
responsibility
caps and reducing
to pursue all
access to an early
unjust cuts”
avenues to
pension.
challenge the
The changes
changes. More than 96% of voters
are also designed to weaken
a national agreement
on redundancy avoidance.
PCS received legal advice
that ministers may have acted
unlawfully by cutting the terms
of the scheme and failing
to properly consult the union.
Papers have been lodged with
the High Court and a hearing date
will be set.
Fresh negotiations are still being
sought with the Cabinet Office.
PCS General Secretary Mark
Serwotka said members had made
it clear that they would not accept
the imposition of such drastic
cuts to their terms and
conditions.
“Ministers have behaved
disgracefully in their attempts
to make it easier to keep cutting
jobs. We will not be bullied and
we are determined to keep up
the campaign against these
unjust cuts.”
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FIND OUT MORE
pcs.org.uk/campaigns
Update
Register for e-voting
before 31 March
See update p4
‘VICTIMISATION’: PCS rep Finola Kelly was among those sacked
by EHRC while on strike over budget cuts and redundancies.
EHRC
PCS is campaigning for the
reinstatement of members whose
bosses at the Equality and Human
Rights Commission sacked them
by email.
They were taking part in a fifth
day of strikes over redundancies
and budget cuts when they
received the compulsory
redundancy letter.
Each was offered six months’
pay in lieu of notice and given
24 hours to clear their desks. A further three members were
sacked in the following weeks.
Hundreds of trade unionists
Photograph: Shutterstock
1
Your branch will hold
a mandating meeting
before PCS’s group and
national conferences
in May. These meetings
are a vital part of the
union’s democracy,
allowing you to have
a say in how delegates
from your branch will
vote on a range of
union policies at
conference. Deciding
who attends
conference for your
branch is done
by election at
a branch AGM.
G
turned out to protest outside EHRC
offices across the UK following the
dismissals in February. Colleagues
took a sixth day of strike action,
on 1 March, and three more are
planned in the coming months.
“You really couldn’t
make it up”
CHRIS STEPHENS MP
PCS has briefed several MPs,
including shadow chancellor John
McDonnell and former Director
of Public Prosecutions Kier
Starmer, and held a drop-in
session in parliament, at which
several MPs offered to table
parliamentary questions. So far
52 MPs have signed an early day
motion (EDM 944) calling on the
government to intervene and
reinstate all sacked staff and
to properly fund the EHRC.
TUC leader Frances O’Grady
has also written to EHRC
to demand they rescind the
redundancy notices.
In a Commons debate MPs
attacked the “shameful” treatment
of staff. Labour’s Stephen Hepburn
said: “Is [my colleague] really
telling the House that the body
established by the government to
look after, safeguard and monitor
the rights of the citizens of this
country is acting in such a
scandalous way?”
PCS Parliamentary Group chair
Chris Stephens said it was
“in the realms of ‘you really
couldn’t make it up’,” and raised
concerns of “blacklisting and
trade union victimisation”.
Sacked PCS rep Zahid Nawaz
said the “unprecedented”
treatment was clearly targeted
at union members and
minority groups. A disproportionate number of
affected members are disabled and
of black and minority ethnic
(BME) origin.
GET INVOLVED
G
Sign the e-action at pcs.org.
uk/campaigns/send-a-pcs-e-action
4 things to know about
Branch mandating meetings
2
Mandating meetings
discuss the motions
that will be debated
and voted on at
conference. Delegates
either approve or
reject them as
something the union
should do. At the
meeting, your branch
will decide on whether
it wants to instruct
(mandate) its delegates
to vote for or against
particular motions. You
can also choose to let
delegates listen to the
debate and vote freely.
FIND OUT MORE
pcs.org.uk/conference
3
Motions are put
forward by members
via branches and by
the union’s National
Executive Committee.
They are all published
in a Motions Book, by
25 April. The motions
cover many topics
including jobs, pay
and pensions, union
finances, equality,
international work
and political strategy.
Emergency motions
on new or urgent
topics can be
submitted in the run
up to conference.
4
Many members get
paid time off to attend
a mandating meeting.
They’ll be held
between the
publication of motions,
in April, and the
conferences on 22–25
May. It’s likely you will
discuss only those
motions most
important to you and
your colleagues. The
delegates then attend
the debates, speaking
for or against motions
and voting according
to the branch’s
democratic decision.
Photograph: Andrew Aitchison
Photograph: Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk
Fight for reinstatement over
‘scandalous’ sackings
Pay day protest is just
the beginning
MARK SERWOTKA PCS GENERAL SECRETARY
I was honoured to be able to speak at the recent rally for the NHS,
in recognition and support for the NHS staff who saved my life. It was
quite fitting this was the first public event I was able to do since my heart
transplant. I was delighted to see the massive turnout of PCS members,
and would particularly like to mention our fantastic samba band.
In my speech at the rally I raised the scandal of NHS pay. During my
three months in hospital I met dedicated nurses and junior doctors feeling
forced out of the jobs they loved because they couldn’t make ends meet.
This is the material impact the Tories’ public sector pay freeze, in place
since 2010, is having across the whole public sector. But the reality is
even worse for PCS members who are civil and public servants. For too
long the government has viewed its own staff as the poor relation when
it comes to pay.
Since the 1% public sector pay cap has been in place, the value of
average pay in the civil service has fallen by up to 9% against inflation.
Worse still, the value of average pay in the civil service has fallen further
than in the rest of the public sector,
and in the economy as a whole.
The pay cap has been disastrous
for all public sector workers, for
public services and for economic
growth, but the gap between civil
servants and other workers
demonstrates that public sector pay
policy has not been evenly applied.
If the pay cap continues until 2020,
average civil service pay will have
fallen in value by over 20%. This is why
I am asking for your support in challenging the government’s pay cap
over the coming month, and that you take part in our pay day protests
across workplaces on 31 March.
The facts and figures show we have a strong case, but we know that
this alone will not be enough. Let’s be clear, the government wants our
members to pay for what it’s doing to the economy, and it is only if we
stand up and take action that we will end the pay cap.
Clearly action is most effective if all public sector unions work together,
and we are talking to other unions about joint action, but it is vital we
defend our pay regardless of the position of other unions.
All of the evidence confirms what we have known for a while – our
members have been treated appallingly for many years. Predictably, the
chancellor’s recent budget demonstrates the government’s intent to
carry on the same way. We need to show the employer we will not accept
this any longer and be prepared to take action to back up our demands.
Our 31 March day of action is just the beginning.
“It is only
if we stand
up and take
action that we
will end the
pay cap.”
■■For further information pcs.org.uk/pay
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 3
20.4%
Update
BEHIND THE
HEADLINES
amount civil service pay will
have dropped by 2020, if the 1%
pay cap stays
NEWS DIGEST News stories, campaigns and information from across the union
ONLINE VOTING
SIGN UP FOR E-BALLOT
BY 31 MARCH
GUARDIAN
Welfare overhaul
hits families hardest
Families with children lose the
most under universal credit, with
some left thousands of pounds
worse off, according to new
analysis. The Child Poverty Action
Group said cuts and changes have
left the government’s welfare
overhaul failing to meet its aim
to boost household incomes by
strengthening incentives to move
into work or take on more hours.
Members have until 31 March
to register their personal email
addresses for PCS’s first
electronic ballot.
The new voting system applies
to the union’s group executive
committee elections, being held
in April and May.
Those who have their personal
email address registered on our
membership database will receive
a notice giving a link to the voting
site and a security code.
For this year, those who haven’t
got a personal email address
on the database will still receive
a ballot paper to their registered
postal address, and can use
it to vote online or by post.
Electronic ballots have been
shown to potentially increase
turnouts in elections and they
help save the union money.
■■pcs.org.uk/member-login
HUFFINGTON POST
Photograph: Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk
Young fear mental
health stigma
The perceived stigma of mental
illness is preventing thousands
of young people from seeking
help, a study suggests. Almost
a quarter of 16 to 25 year olds said
they would not confide in anyone
about mental health problems,
fearing it could affect their job
prospects or make them look
“weak”. The Prince’s Trust surveyed
2,215 young people online.
INDEPENDENT
MP pensions scrutinised
Pensions paid to British MPs are
funded by the profits of cigarette
companies, international oil giants
and companies MPs have accused
of tax avoidance. The £621m
Parliamentary Contributory Pension
Fund’s investments have been
made public for the first time. Its
top 20 holdings includes Amazon,
Google and Apple – all accused
of avoiding tax.
MORNING STAR
Prison protest halted
A judge ordered prison guards
to ditch their protests against
low pay and riot-ridden jails. The
Ministry of Justice sought the High
Court injunction after the Prison
Officers’ Association instructed
members to withdraw from all
“voluntary” duties. The union
said the government had not
addressed concerns over pay,
violence and understaffing.
MIRROR
‘Immoral’ Green pays
up on BHS pensions
Philip Green has agreed a £363m
settlement to rescue the BHS
pension schemes. Insolvency
Service investigators are expected
to conclude he acted “immorally”,
but not illegally, over the collapse
of the retailer. The scandal left
11,000 people unemployed
and more facing pensions cuts.
MPs have called for Green to lose
his knighthood.
4 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
LOVE UNIONS: PCS members were out in force for the TUC’s Heart Unions week, including joining striking
members at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (see p3).
During the week of action, PCS also organised a protest walk to highlight cuts and privatisation at London’s
national cultural institutions, as part of the Show Culture Some Love campaign held on Valentine’s Day.
PCS LEGAL
Views wanted
on personal cases
Feedback about the handling
of personal cases by the union’s
Legal and Personal Case Unit (LPU)
is being sought from branches.
A resolution passed at last year’s
conference asked PCS to publish
recent statistics on cases handled
by LPU, report on reasons for
refusing tribunal support,
provide more guidance and
consult with branches.
The legal landscape has changed
in recent years - for example, with
the introduction of employment
tribunal fees. PCS is reforming
the way it deals with legal cases
by setting up a new Support
Centre that will make it easier for
reps to get advice and information.
■■pcs.org.uk/legal
APPRENTICES
Deal gives extra
protection
Workers recruited to the civil
service under the government’s
apprenticeship scheme now have
extra protection, thanks to
a landmark deal reached with
the Cabinet Office.
PCS and other civil service
unions secured improvements
on fair pay and job security.
All apprentices will be given
an employment contract, and the
employer can’t use them to fill
redundant posts.
Departments will also have to
provide information on apprentices’
right to join a union and give PCS
access to them during inductions.
Union Learning Reps (ULRs) will
be able to provide learning and
development support.
With up to 30,000 civil service
apprentices due to be taken
on by 2020 – an estimated 90%
of whom will be working
at PCS grades – recruiting
and supporting them is a high
priority for the union.
■■pcs.org.uk/apprentices
NATURAL ENGLAND
Pressure results
in deal on 175 jobs
A long-running campaign over the
use of temporary staff at Natural
England has put pressure on
management to convert 175
short-term casual contracts (STAs)
into permanent jobs.
PCS reps have been pushing
for equal pay and more job security
for temps for the last two years,
and recruiting new members
among those affected.
Support also came from team
leaders, many of whom are PCS
members, who rely on their work
in administering agrienvironmental schemes. The
combined pressure resulted in
successful talks between Defra and
the unions. The process to formally
fill the jobs begins this month.
Our voice in parliament
Recent PCS activities in
parliament have focused
heavily on lobbying over
site closures across
departments.
Glasgow MPs were briefed on DWP
plans to halve the city’s jobcentres,
leading to two debates and a
question being raised at Prime
Minister’s Questions. The attention
also led to a Scottish Affairs
Committee inquiry into the impact
of jobcentre closures, to which PCS
gave oral evidence (see p9).
Following the announcement
of further DWP closures in January,
PCS urged MPs to debate the
matter, with the resulting debate
involving criticism from all parties.
Evidence was submitted to several
different select committees
on HMRC and Concentrix issues.
PCS has worked closely with shadow
chancellor John McDonnell, who
asked an urgent Commons question
on the HMRC ‘Building Our Future’
plans. Parliamentary questions have
been tabled on behalf of members
there, and in ACAS.
The union briefed MPs ahead
of an Opposition Day debate
on prisons and a Westminster Hall
debate on access to justice. The government’s justice
‘transformation’ programme was
discussed with shadow justice
minister, Christina Rees, and PCS
launched its Alternative Vision for
Justice. The union responded
to consultations on employment
tribunal reform and proposals
to change rules on personal injury
claims in England and Wales.
Shadow defence secretary Nia
Griffiths tabled parliamentary
questions on MoD site closures after
meeting PCS. The union submitted
evidence to the Public Accounts
Committee’s Defence Estate inquiry
and held a parliamentary drop-in
with 25+ MPs. Several MPs have
tabled written questions about
closures in their constituencies,
raised concerns during debates
and agreed to meet local PCS reps.
PCS Parliamentary Group tabled
EDM 914, opposing the closures.
G
GET INVOLVED
Support our campaigns by
completing an e-action and emailing
your MP pcs.org.uk/campaigns/
send-a-pcs-e-action
Update
Me and My Job:
Putting people first
see feature p12
Campaign to scrap
appraisal system praised
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
The “strong union-led” campaign
to scrap discriminatory and
divisive appraisal systems in the
civil service has been praised
in an investigation for Workplace
Report magazine.
The Labour Research
Department publication backed
PCS’s view that punitive
performance management
systems damage morale and work
relationships, increase stress,
are open to bias, and waste money.
The last government brought
in the PMR system – including the
controversial ‘forced distribution’
of box rankings – despite it even
being unpopular with private
sector employers, said the report.
“The union campaign against the
system bore fruit earlier last year,
with changes to the scheme or
trials of new systems… in a number
of government departments and
agencies,” it said.
Major concessions were won
as a result of the campaign, which
included decisive evidence that
PMR is discriminatory.
Statistical analysis by Keele
University showed there were
significant differences in appraisal
outcomes based on gender, age,
grade and working patterns,
and particularly in relation
to disability and ethnicity.
PCS national officer Paul
Barnsley said mass participation
had been key to the campaign,
with many members asserting
their rights and taking part
in a union survey.
The current regime is being
scrapped and will be replaced
by a new flexible arrangement
based on core principles that all
departments will need to meet.
The union is discussing the
details with the employers to
ensure they don’t repeat the
current divisive model.
Four of the largest departments
– DWP, HMRC, MoD and the Home
Office – are planning to have new
systems in place this year, while
others may wait until 2018/19.
Barnsley said negotiations were
focused on getting a “new system
that looks and feels different for
staff and is genuinely
developmental and supportive”.
G
FIND OUT MORE
For the latest information
pcs.org.uk/campaigns
Make our voices heard on pay
JANICE GODRICH PCS PRESIDENT
us, the researcher found that since 2010 average pay
I started work in the civil service in 1981, just after
has dropped by up to 9% in real terms – a bigger fall
a major pay dispute where we argued that our
than anywhere else in the public or private sectors.
wages should be brought up in comparison to
With the cost of living expected to rise over the
similar work in the private sector. Sounds familiar,
next couple of years, this is only going to get worse
if the 1% cap remains in place.
doesn’t it?
We know that private
And wherever I go around the
companies with government
country, speaking to members,
“[Theresa May’s]
it is clear how tough times are
contracts take their cue from civil
now. People just can’t make
service employers. So ending the
government is
their money last until the end
1% pay cap and improving living
persisting with
of the month.
standards for civil and public
a policy that
For parents, this often means
servants would benefit everyone.
forces us into
difficult, sometimes heartbreaking,
Prime minister Theresa May has
this position.”
decisions about whether they can
the cheek to talk about ‘ordinary
afford treats and trips for their
working class’ families who are
children. For young people, it
‘just managing’. That’s us. But
her government is persisting with a policy that forces
means the idea of getting a place of their own
to rent or buy just hurtling further from ‘might
us into this position.
be nice’ to ‘pipe dream’.
We have formally written to the Treasury, but we
I doubt any of this will come as a surprise.
need to make our voices heard as loudly as possible,
But it is still shocking that in 2017, in one
starting with our day of action on 31 March.
of the world’s wealthiest nations, people like us who
Speak to your colleagues and your local PCS
do what were once considered to be important
representatives about what you can do on that day,
and valuable jobs are struggling to make ends meet
and in the weeks and months to come, to help us
and having to claim benefits to top up their incomes.
break the 1% pay cap.
For those of us in the civil service, a pay expert has
FIND OUT MORE
put some real figures on what we have been
For the latest information pcs.org.uk/pay
experiencing in our daily lives. Looking at the data for
G
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Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 5
Features
550
government offices or workplaces
have closed since 2013
Pay: the campaign starts now
The impact of years of pay restrictions means the
true value of wages in the civil service and related
areas has been continually eroded, putting a huge
strain on members and their families.
PCS is launching a campaign to put a stop to this
unfairness, and needs your help.
Members speak out
B
y every measure, pay in the civil
Prime Minister Theresa May has promised
service and related bodies is falling
to help those struggling to make ends meet,
behind. Since the introduction of a
those they say are “just about managing” ‒ a
1% pay cap on public sector wages in 2010, it
category many of our members now fall in to.
has fallen behind inflation levels, it has fallen
So far this government has failed to make
behind average earnings and it has fallen
good on that promise.
behind overall public sector earnings.
In refusing to use his March budget to lift
In response, PCS is launching a
the 1% pay cap, the chancellor was
campaign to break the 1% cap
“condemning ‘just managing’
and be able to negotiate
civil servants to wage cuts
the above-inflation pay
of up to 20%,” said Serwotka.
“Doing nothing is
rises our members
PCS is lobbying key
just not an
deserve.
politicians and making
option”
Academic research,
a submission to Treasury
commissioned by PCS from
minister David Gauke,
the University of Surrey,
arguing the 1% pay cap
strongly backs the union’s case that the civil
should be lifted, and is asking members
service and related areas have suffered
to email him to support this call.
disproportionately, thanks not only to the
Pay day protests will be held on 31 March
unfair pay cap, but to the withdrawal
and members are urged to get involved.
of pay progression and increases in pensions
A national pay claim has been submitted
and National Insurance contributions.
for a pay rise of 5% or £1,200, whichever
The government wants the cap to stay until
is greater.
2020. If this situation is allowed to continue,
Groups will be considering other campaign
average pay levels in those areas will have
tactics to fight for a real rise including, where
dropped by up to one fifth in a decade.
members vote for it, strike action.
Figures from the Office for National
The NEC has set pay as a priority for 2017,
Statistics last month showed that growth in
and as Mark Serwotka has said, the
UK pay levels was slowing down, prompting
cumulative effects of cruel pay policies,
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka to
added to predicted inflation rises, have
demand the government “acts to put money
created “a perfect storm”.
in people’s pockets and arrest the decline
He added: “Doing nothing is just not
in living standards”.
an option.”
Join the PCS payday
protest on 31 March!
MAY’S EMPTY PLEDGE TO THE ‘JUST MANAGING’
In her first speech as Prime Minister,
Theresa May had the audacity to claim the
government was helping those who were
“just about managing”. With their own
workforce suffering from pay restraint
and cuts, the Tories’ hypocrisy is staggering.
Many of our members report facing
agonising choices between paying bills
and putting food on the table.
What are they doing about it? We need
concrete action, not hollow promises.
“If you’re from an ordinary working class
family, life is much harder than many people
6 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
in Westminster realise. You have a job but
you don’t always have job security. You have
your own home, but you worry about paying
a mortgage. You can just about manage but
you worry about the cost of living.
If you’re one of those families, if you’re just
managing, I want to address you directly.
I know you’re working around the clock,
I know you’re doing your best, and I know
that sometimes life can be a struggle. The
government I lead will be driven not by the
inter-ests of the privileged few, but by yours.”
Theresa May, 13 July 2016
CUT FOOD SHOPPING
CANCELLED SPORTS CLUBS
“I live on my own with my two children,
one of whom has special needs. My
monthly take-home pay is £769. I receive
tax credits to tide me over.
I’ve recently had to cut down a lot on
food shopping and hardly ever have days
out with the children. I don’t own a car
and I don’t think I could afford to run one.
Public transport costs have just gone up
again, so I can’t see my financial situation
getting better in the short term.
The government isn’t in a position to
understand… how financial difficulties affect
people more than meets the eye. People
work longer hours to afford basic needs,
suffer from stress-related illnesses and can’t
have a healthy work-life balance.”
Rachel, DWP
“Before pay progression was scrapped
I reached the maximum salary for my pay
band (£20,883).
This makes me what Theresa May calls a
JAM (Just About Managing), except I am not.
My last three pay awards (not pay rises)
have been: 1% non-consolidated; 1.5%
non-consolidated and, last year, a one-off
award of £200.
The result of these “awards”, combined
with increases in pension contributions,
has seen my take-home pay reduced
by £29 per month since October 2015.
I have already cancelled my sports clubs
memberships. The next to go might be
my home internet connection and I am
looking into selling my car.”
Martin, MoD
What do we want?
We want to restore the value of members’
pay. PCS has made a detailed submission
to the Treasury, setting out the evidence
revealed by expert earnings research.
The figures also support the national
pay claim we have submitted to the Cabinet
Office minister and the head of the
civil service.
We are saying:
■The
■
1% pay cap should be lifted
■Civil
■
service employers should
be given the ability to negotiate
above-inflation pay rises
■A
■ pay increase should be awarded of 5%
or £1,200, whichever is the greater
■There
■
should be a return to national
bargaining on pay with the union,
to put an end to the inequity caused
by the current delegated system
■The
■
government should set a good
example by aiming for a living wage
of £10 per hours for all civil servants
and those on government contracts.
G
FIND OUT MORE
pcs.org.uk/pay
Features
Breaking the stigma of
mental health at work one member’s story
See Noticeboard p13
What is your pay worth?
Expert research carried out at the University of Surrey has revealed
the disastrous impact of the employers’ policies on the value of
members’ pay in the civil service and related bodies.
-5%
How much average civil service pay has fallen behind average pay in the rest of the
public sector.
-8–9%
How far average earnings in the civil service and related areas have fallen between
2010 and 2016 – the period hit by the 1% pay cap - by comparison with Consumer Price
Index (CPI) inflation.
How much the average will have dropped in value if the 1% pay cap continues until 2020
(using CPI to measure inflation).
‘END OF MY TETHER’
TOOK A SECOND JOB
“This pay freeze has seriously affected
the motivation and wealth of experience
within the civil service. I have put up with
the lack of a pay increase since it was
enforced, which has meant my take-home
pay has decreased.
I have always gone over and above my
grade to take on jobs dropped by the steady
march of civil servants leaving the service.
However I am now at the end of my tether
and looking to leave.
I enjoy solving problems, I am at heart
an “enabler” [but] there are days when I just
cry with frustration. Our reputation has been
destroyed along with our pay and pensions
and I will be shortly joining the ‘march out’
before my health starts to suffer.”
Julie, MoD
“Despite having a good job I struggle
constantly with money. My take-home pay
is £1,234. After bills I’m usually left with
around £180 for the month. I have to do
overtime to make ends meet.
I live alone and have shared custody of my
daughter. I’ve had to cut down on going out,
clothes, where I shop, how much I buy. I was
signed off work with stress and depression,
much of which was brought on by money
worries and always working overtime.
My money worries increased so I applied
to the PCS benevolent fund for help.
I’ve now taken a second, part-time, job
in my free time, and that has helped
financially, although it makes my blood boil
that we haven’t had a decent pay rise.”
John, HMRC
What can you do?
The campaign needs your help to make
ministers listen:
■Get
■ involved in a workplace payday
protest on 31 March, ahead of the Treasury
publishing its pay guidance for 2017. The
action will help pile pressure on the
Cabinet Office – please talk to your rep
about it.
■■Email Treasury minister David Gauke to
say you support the PCS campaign urging
him to drop the 1% pay cap, and negotiate a
pay rise that goes above inflation. You can
do this via the e-action at pcs.org.uk/pay
■■Tell us about your pay experiences the more real life evidence we have,
the stronger our case.
• What do you have to do to make
ends meet?
• Would you say you are ‘just about
managing?’ and what does this mean
in reality?
• What would an inflation-busting
pay rise mean for you?
G
GET INVOLVED
-20.4%
How much average pay in the civil service and related areas will have fallen by 2020
if the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation is used. Both RPI and CPI are
measures of the price of goods and services, used to estimate inflation. The
government prefers CPI, but RPI includes important items not included in CPI,
like mortgage interest payments.
-£2,077
Represents the real loss, in cash terms, of the drop in average earnings in the civil
service since 2010, if using CPI inflation. If RPI is used, the loss is £3,639.
-£1,000 a year
What the increase in pension contribution cost a civil servant (PCSPS Classic Scheme)
on average salary who pays tax at the basic rate.
+9.9%
The amount that the Office of Budget Responsibility projects RPI inflation will rise over
the next 3 years, or 6.9% if using CPI as a measure.
Email your stories to [email protected]
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 7
Illustration: Thea Brine
-12%
14,532
Features
new members joined
PCS during 2016
Local action to defend our services
As job cuts and office closure plans
continue to impact PCS workplaces across
the UK, members and communities
are resisting with local action.
CUTS AND CLOSURES
The Tory plan to shrink the
government estate, attacking
jobs and services as they
go, continues unabated.
Barely an area has been left
untouched by the stream
of announcements to have hit
thousands of members across
PCS, including large-scale cuts
in HMRC, DWP, MoD, and the
justice department.
The union is fighting back
with political lobbying and
support for branches
campaigning within their
communities for the retention
of jobs and services.
Photograph: Andrew Aitchison
Closures ‘unrealistic’
A host of politicians have joined
PCS members and fellow
campaigners in condemning
the rationale and methods behind
many of the decisions to close
or merge offices.
Massive cuts that would shut
almost all HMRC offices have
been savaged by MPs on the
influential Public Accounts
Committee and called
“unrealistic” by the National
Audit Office.
Cuts to DWP offices were
criticised as “bereft of logic...
G
and compassion” in a
parliamentary debate, and MPs
are joining campaigns to save
jobcentres and benefit offices.
Mapping the cuts
The union’s National Executive
Committee (NEC) has agreed
a plan for a national campaign
strategy.
A number of campaigns are
already under way and branches
are being consulted on plans for
their workplaces, towns and cities,
including ideas for targeted
industrial action where
appropriate.
PCS has developed an
interactive map of recent,
and planned, cuts and closures
across the UK, which will be
launched as a campaigning
tool for members.
The aim is to include a
breakdown of political data
useful for campaigning, such
as constituencies likely to have
supportive MPs, or areas with
a potentially precarious Tory
majority.
An estimated 550 government
offices or workplaces have closed
since 2013 – around 280 were
delivering frontline services.
GET INVOLVED
For a list of local petitions on jobcentre closures go to
pcs.org.uk/news/sign-our-petition-against-jobcentre-closures
GET INVOLVED TIPS FOR A LOCAL CAMPAIGN
■■Lobby local councillors, MPs,
MSPs and Assembly Members
from all parties. Write to them,
set up a meeting, attend
surgeries, urge them to sign
letters and e-actions
8 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
■■Team up with other trade
unions, local individuals and
interest groups
■■Hold a public meeting
to rally support
■■Help with distributing leaflets
to raise awareness among
colleagues and the public.
Where appropriate, get service
users involved
■■Share your arguments and ideas
– how will the closures impact
you, the service users, the local
job market and economy? If
there’s an official consultation,
respond to it
■■Work with the media to get the
message out
■■Use social media to share
campaign news, events,
successes, photos and petitions
■■Ask colleagues to join PCS
at join.pcs.org.uk
ACTION UPDATE: Campaigning on
HMRC
Edinburgh branch held a week
of action in February for their Keep
Work in West Lothian campaign
over the closure of offices in
Bathgate and Livingston and
re-location of 1,200 jobs.
The local MP and MSPs have
joined the campaign and a letter
of “unanimous” support was
signed by Bathgate community
council. The branch has held
public drop-in meetings, gathered
members’ testimonies, and
produced an alternative proposal
to keep a site at Bathgate. Their
social media presence, on
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter,
has been “critical” for building
support, say reps.
In North Wales PCS
is campaigning against plans
to close the area’s remaining
offices in Wrexham and
Porthmadog, re-locating
members to Liverpool, Telford and
Birmingham. A PCS reps met
Dwyfor and Meirionnydd MP Liz
Saville Roberts, to discuss issues
with doing compliance in North
West Wales from offices in Cardiff
and Liverpool.
DWP
Bishop Auckland’s MP has joined
the fight against the closure
of a DWP office, saying re-location
is “not reasonable”.
PCS launched a petition against
the proposal – affecting 83 Child
Support Agency (CSA) staff –
and is planning a town march
on 18 March. On the potential loss
to the local economy, PCS
calculated members spent nearly
£2,000 in the town each week.
Plans to centralise offices
to a Cardiff hub are being resisted
in Llanelli, where the benefit
centre, employing 140 people,
is earmarked for closure.
At a packed public meeting
held with MP Nia Griffith one
member said the office was
vital for local shopkeepers.
PCS in Wales is organising
a questionnaire to show the
impact of closures on staff.
In Glasgow a campaign
is under way to protect the
city’s jobcentres (see p9).
G
GET INVOLVED
Sign our national petition
on DWP closures action.pcs.org.
uk/page/s/saveDWPoffices
Features
Chance to win a £200 John
Lewis gift card with PCS
Travel Insurance
See Noticeboard p14
Battle on over ‘outrageous’
Glasgow jobcentre closures
A high-profile campaign has been throwing the spotlight
on DWP plans to shut down half of Glasgow’s 16 jobcentres.
An announcement in December
to close eight Glasgow jobcentres
sparked protests among staff,
claimants, politicians, community
campaigners and advocacy groups.
In a debate in parliament in
January, MP Natalie McGarry
(SNP, Glasgow East) said the plans
were “bereft of logic and…
compassion”. PCS parliamentary
group chair and Glasgow MP
Chris Stephens has called them
“morally outrageous”.
The closures would force
claimants to travel further
to a jobcentre, with extra travel
costs and the increased risk of
sanctions. The impact on disabled
claimants has not been assessed.
MPs have accused the
department of plotting their poorly
thought out plans using
Googlemaps, with no knowledge
of the city’s transport systems.
There are also concerns about
safety and capacity in the
remaining eight jobcentres, which
would have to take on double
the staff and claimants.
PCS has been working closely
with its Parliamentary Group
and local MPs and MSPs, as well
as meeting with the minister,
raising questions in parliament
and tabling two debates.
At the same time PCS members
and reps have been raising the
profile of the issue locally, teaming
up with fellow campaigners and
trade unions, giving media
interviews and holding meetings
in every jobcentre.
Taking the fight to the community
PCS DWP Glasgow branch
has built momentum in its
campaign by looking outwards
to the community, says branch
secretary Ian Pope:
“We met Glasgow MSPs and
MPs and gave them questions
to ask ministers, we leafleted
in the neighbourhoods and
organised public meetings,
joining up with other groups
like housing associations,
Citizens Advice, Disabled People
Against Cuts (DPAC), churches,
the local trades council and
other unions.
People who are not usually
active in community
organisations have been getting
involved. We’ve built up
tremendous links in the city,
and the evening paper has been
running a campaign.
The government is consulting
on three of the jobcentres,
and we responded with
the ground
MINISTRY
OF DEFENCE
Following political lobbying at
national level many MPs are now
meeting with PCS reps to form
local campaigns against plans
to close nearly 100 sites by 2040.
The closures will mean severing
long-established links with local
communities, many of which
depend on the MoD sites for
employment, local custom and even
vital services such as fire and rescue.
In a recent parliamentary debate
on the ‘defence estate strategy’,
Labour (Co-op) MP Rachael
Maskell said it was “about time
a pause button was hit and we
reviewed the reality of the impact
that these closures will have”. East
Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald
(SNP) said it was “no wonder [PCS
general secretary] Mark Serwotka
expresses such concern about the
plans [which] throw the future
into doubt for thousands of staff”.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
PCS activists from across the
sector were involved in the
creation of a report setting out an
‘alternative vision’ for the justice
system, launched in parliament
in February.
With 50% cuts in the MoJ’s
administrative expenditure
planned, the government last
year announced the closure
of 86 courts and tribunal centres
and followed it with further
plans to reduce its estate over
the coming years. Local anticlosure campaigns have the full
support of PCS.
Angela, 56, lives in Castlemilk, and has been involved in the campaign
to save the local jobcentre.
“When I heard I contacted my MP
most vulnerable people here.
and said ‘what are we going to do
For some people, going to the
about this’? I felt incensed that
other jobcentre would mean
they would even think of doing this
getting three buses - an eight-mile,
in an area with such high
two-hour journey. An all-day ticket
unemployment and child poverty.
costs £4.50, plus £1.50 for kids.
I went to a public meeting in
That’s money for feeding the
January, and we also had a street
children or topping up electric
and gas meters.
meeting with PCS and various local
Most people said they couldn’t
groups. I got active by going to the
afford, or would be unable, to travel
shopping centre, where the
jobcentre is, and asking people to fill to the new location. A lot said they
couldn’t access the internet.
in the government consultation
They’re afraid they’re going to get
forms there and then. We got more
sanctioned. People are distraught.
than 100 consultations filled in,
and over 250 petition signatures.
As a community we have to make
The majority of people were
sure we keep the pressure up.
We can’t just leave it to the workers
disabled, many with mental health
or the politicians.”
problems – we’re dealing with the
arguments against the DWP’s
rationale for these cuts, which
we see as short-term cost cutting.
Our members are concerned
about the claimants. This
is an attack on our communities.
If we’re going to win this,
it will be on those grounds.”
Plans ‘won’t work’, PCS tells MPs’ committee
PCS gave evidence to a Scottish
Affairs Committee session on the
Glasgow jobcentre plans at
Westminster, calling the scheme
“disproportionate” and “wrong”.
The session was set up to ask
employment minister Damian
Hinds to clarify his rationale.
Having heard the evidence
Anna Soubry – a fellow Tory MP –
summed it up by asking Hinds:
“Why don’t you scrub everything
and start again?”
Appearing as a witness
alongside MP Stewart McDonald
and local interest groups, DWP
Glasgow branch secretary Ian
G
Pope said the department had
failed to consult with anyone.
“You can’t play games
with people’s lives”
“If the department had done
this properly, we – who have
members who are experts – would
have been able to tell [them] this
wouldn’t work and that their plans
are wrong,” he said.
Referring to the review being
planned around the expiry
of a contract on DWP buildings,
in 2018, he added: “You can’t play
games with people’s lives
depending on contracts. This
[will] have a major effect on a vast
number of people.”
He said the chancellor was
planning a 20% reduction in the
DWP estate, which meant closing
50% of Glasgow’s jobcentres was
clearly “disproportionate”.
The minister was told witnesses
across the board had been
“extremely unhappy” about the
plans – citing problems including
excessive travel times to
alternative jobcentres, and poor
access to the internet in the city’s
deprived areas.
KEEP IN TOUCH with the latest news on PCS campaigns at
pcs.org.uk/campaigns
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 9
WE’RE
Winning
new
members
TRONGER
OGETHER
The big picture
G
GET INVOLVED
pcs.org.uk/campaigns
The tireless work being done by members, reps and staff to build the union in the face of multiple
challenges has been paying off, with more new members joining in 2016 than any year over the last decade.
Every member can help with recruitment, which is at the heart of keeping the union strong and effective.
Despite the withdrawal of paying subs by check-off, the slashing of time reps have for their union work,
and tens of thousands of job cuts, PCS is turning the tide against the onslaught.
0.8% 129
safeguard your job, protect your
14,532 To
161
new members joined the union
during 2016, compared with
12,000 members recruited in 2015.
100%
pay and pension, get legal advice and
representation at work, join PCS.
of 537 PCS branches had
recruitment rates above
our 0.8% target in November.
is the target rate PCS has set for recruitment, meaning that every
month we need to sign up one new member for every 120 existing
members. This aim was achieved in the last few months of 2016
and several workplaces, groups and regions consistently exceeded it.
people signed up in a single
day at Concentrix in Belfast,
where staff are transferring
back in to HMRC.
30
242
10% pcs.org.uk/join
membership is the aim of reps at the Home Office Disclosure
and Barring Service. A concerted effort to recruit new members
means 90% of staff have already signed up.
was the recruitment rate in OFGEM last September, thanks
to a targeted plan to sign up more members. They also beat the
0.8% target in October (5%), November (9%) and December (2%).
18
17
new union reps came forward
to volunteer their services during
a three-day campaign at East
Kilbride HMRC, which also resulted
in 50 new members joining up.
of DWP Fylde branch’s new members in 2016 were recruited at induction
events after reps decided they should use them to talk to new employees
about the union. A single event in October yielded 70 new members.
1.10% 63%
Public and Commercial Services Union | pcs.org.uk
new members joined PCS in one
day during a successful Learning
at Work event at Bathgate HMRC.
More took forms and joined later,
taking union ‘density’ (the
percentage of the workforce that
is in the union) from 41% of
employees to more than 50%.
G
new recruits have given a boost to the new PCS branch at the London
Mayor’s office for policing and crime (MOPAC). In the Met Police Group
the union recruitment rate has been steadily increasing, going up from
0.59% in August, to 0.83% in September, to 1.02% in October, when there
were 42 new joiners.
was the above-target recruitment
rate achieved across the HMRC
Group last November, which
meant 395 new members. The
rate for DWP also beat the target,
at 0.9%, or 455 new members.
GET INVOLVED
Everyone can help build our membership. Recruit a friend! Talk to your rep about recruitment materials, or email [email protected]
10 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
is the density rate that’s now
been reached at R&C South Wales
branch. Sustained recruitment
and organising activity led
to recruitment rates of 3.24%
in October, 2.53% in November
and 1.06% in December.
Features
Supporting PCS
after retirement
See letters p16
Help PCS
fight to win
FIGHTING FUND
A healthy Fighting Fund can help the union
win campaigns on the issues that matter
to members.
PCS is asking members to make a
voluntary donation to the Fighting Fund
so we can keep supporting colleagues who
are resisting the government’s attacks
on pay, jobs, terms and conditions.
We need to have the ability to fund
targeted, sustained industrial action where
necessary. Our members are under attack,
and a key part of our campaign to oppose
the cuts is being able to back those actions.
Industrial action can be hugely persuasive
when convincing the employer to negotiate
a fair deal.
Members are asked to donate what they
can afford – as little as £2 per month can
make a big difference.
When members at National Museums
Wales took indefinite strike action last year,
the union supported them financially and
their action resulted in a significant win.
As well as direct debit and cheque
payments it’s now possible to make one-off
donations, or set up a regular subscription,
via Paypal.
G
FIND OUT MORE
pcs.org.uk/fightingfund
Break the
1% pay cap
Join the PCS payday protest on 31 March
Get involved to say civil service workers need and deserve a decent pay rise
– scrap the 1% pay cap and pay up!
For more info speak to your local rep or go to pcs.org.uk/pay
Back our campaign
The government will be
JOIN PCS ARMs
WE’RE
STRONGER
TOGETHER
with your taxes at the
expense of injured people.
If government plans go ahead,
tens of thousands of people every
year will lose their right to free legal
representation. Meanwhile it will
cost the NHS and the government
£millions of your taxes every year
and fat cat insurers will be rewarded
with multimillion pound profits.
If you have retired, been made redundant or resigned from your job,
you can still have a voice and enjoy the benefits of being in PCS by
joining the PCS Associate and Retired Members Network
pcs.org.uk/arms
Public and Commercial Services Union | pcs.org.uk
Visit www.feedingfatcats.co.uk to take action
and oppose the government #FeedingFatCats.
@feedingfatcats
#FeedingFatCats is a campaign run by Thompsons Solicitors. Thompsons is proud to stand up for the injured and mistreated.
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 11
5%
Features
Photograph: Roger Donovan
rise is our national civil
service pay claim for 2017
ME AND MY JOB
Putting people first
PCS rep Aidan Price works at the Merthyr Tydfil Service Centre, in South Wales, which has been
earmarked for closure as part of the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) proposals to close
78 jobcentres and 30 back offices, some by March 2018.
Tell us about your job
I’m an Employment and Support Allowance
(ESA) decision-maker, helping assess claims
and deal with enquiries.
Contact with the claimants is done over
the phone – like calling people who have
had a Work Capability Assessment and
telling them the outcome.
How did you get into this work?
I saw an advert for a job in the Benefits
Agency, as it was called then. I’d done many
different things before, including working
in printing and horticulture. When I was
made redundant I did a university degree
and a Master’s, before joining DWP.
What’s the best and worst of it?
The job has never been more frantic, with
extra work and enquiries going through
the roof. When you have to ring people
up to give them news about entitlement,
or similar, it’s stressful for them and
stressful for the staff.
But we can help people and that’s
something I take pride in. I try to put
myself in other people’s shoes and
12 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
do my best for them. It’s tough but can
be rewarding too.
What’s your role in PCS?
I’m the regional secretary for One Service
Network (OSN) in Wales, and branch
secretary for DWP Eastern Valley. We’re
an active branch with experienced reps –
our organiser Karen Spear is a rock.
I like to be able to look after people and
fight for them. We have a lot of success
in personal casework, where I think we
can really make a difference.
Tell us about the planned closure
of the service centre
The announcement was made in January
– the reps were not even told by
management. We don’t know where we’re
going, or when, only that it will close in the
next 3–5 years. Rumours are rife we’ll go
to Cardiff, where they’re building a hub.
I live in Brecon – a 90-mile round trip
to Cardiff, where parking is difficult and
unaffordable. I’d consider public transport,
but with the poor service and our extended
working hours it’s probably impossible.
At the moment I have a 36-mile round trip.
We have an office full of very experienced
staff, the majority of whom are women.
We have a great reputation within the
network, which is another reason we don’t
want to close.
Will your branch campaign against
the proposals?
We’re getting one up and running and, if the
members get involved, I think we can be
successful. Someone from the local Trades
Council came to our AGM, as did the mayor
of Merthyr, Margaret Davies, a former PCS
rep who succeeded in keeping the town’s tax
office open for 10 years.
Our main issue is how this affects staff
who might not be able to travel to the new
site. It’s also about taking money out of the
community – we’ve got around 240 people
working in our office. A new retail park
is already sucking trade out of the town,
so this would just be a double whammy.
G
FIND OUT MORE
pcs.org.uk/department-for-work-andpensions-group
PCS IN WALES
THE FACTS IN FIGURES
7
Jobcentres earmarked
for closure in Wales
450
Members in DWP Eastern
Valleys branch
20,000
PCS members in Wales, across
government departments,
devolved areas and the
commercial sector
Noticeboard
More protection won
for new joiners in
apprenticeship scheme
See update p4
Out and about
Get involved
5 things to do – Mar-May
News, reviews and things to do
Tackling the mental health stigma
Anxiety and depression are estimated to cause one fifth of days lost from work in the
UK, with one in six people people experiencing common mental health issues every
week. At one GCG (Government Communications Group) workplace, PCS member Jane
has been doing award-winning work to tackle the stigma.
“One cold day in December 2015,
I wore a pair of grey fluffy mouse
ears to work. The next day,
I blogged about my experiences
with depression and the
importance of being yourself,
whether that means wearing
something silly once in a while,
or whether it means telling
the people you work with every
day that you have a mental
health condition.
When people kept telling me
I was brave to write the blog, I told
them all the same thing: I wasn’t
expecting anyone to read it! But
the response was overwhelming
– there was me thinking I was all
alone, and suddenly hundreds
of people were getting in touch
to offer their own experiences
and support, and hugs! It seemed
everyone had either experienced
this themselves or through friends
or family.
POWER OF MUSIC
Hear musician-producer Dave
Randall discuss his book Sound
System, in which he documents
what makes music so powerful
as a force for change and
control. Promising ‘raves, riots
and revolution’ it asks how
music can serve the interests
of the majority.
24 March, 6.30pm,
Bookmarks Bookshop, London,
admission £2.
■■bookmarksbookshop.
co.uk/events
FUTURE UNION LEADERS
Young activists in leadership
positions at all levels in their
unions are invited to apply for
the TUC’s third Young Trade
Union Leaders Weekend,
by 1 April. It aims to develop
understanding of the challenges
faced by the movement and the
skills required to build strong
and effective trade unions.
20 and 21 May, Manchester.
■■tuc.org.uk/events
Photograph: Courtesy of Time To Change
Anonymous(e) blogs
In February 2016, the nascent
Mouse Ears community had its
first coffee morning for anyone
to come and chat or ask questions,
and we’ve continued to run
those monthly.
We’ve published a series of
anonymous(e) blogs from others
who wanted to share their stories,
covering topics from anxiety,
post-natal depression and
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
(OCD), to coping with suicidal
feelings and caring for family
members diagnosed as bipolar.
For World Mental Health Day
we hosted our first all-day event,
’Break The Stigma’. We spent
the day at an information stand
by the canteen, wearing mouse
ears, talking to people and
handing out information.
STAND UP TO RACISM
Join the TUC-backed March
Against Racism demonstrations
in London, Glasgow and Cardiff,
to mark UN Anti-Racism Day.
Racism and xenophobia blights
the lives of BME communities,
migrant workers, refugees and
asylum seekers – the demo
is for all who want a future
free of prejudice and bigotry.
18 March. Assemble: 12pm,
Portland Place, London; 11am,
Holland St, Glasgow; 11am,
Grange gardens, Cardiff
■■standuptoracism.org.uk
IT’S GOOD TO TALK: Time To Change, which supplied this stock photograph, campaigns on ending
discrimination and stereotyping in the coverage of mental health issues.
We’re planning a bigger event
for Mental Health Awareness
Week in May, including some
workshops run by external
speakers. We’re working closely
with the Employee Assistance
counsellors and others to make
sure we’re doing everything
right – we’re very clear about
the fact we don’t offer advice
and are not medical professionals.
A lot of what we do is about
signposting people to find help
and information.
MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Diversity award
■■Common mental health problems include depression, anxiety, panic
disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
■■64% of people with common mental health problems are employed –
around 4.6m people.
■■Promoting wellbeing at work costs approximately £80 per employee
per year, but would save nearly 9 times that amount.
We want to make mental health
a thing that it’s okay to talk about.
It causes people to have to take
time off work, as well as making
it a lot harder to be productive
while there – this is especially true
if people haven’t felt able to seek
medical help and/or talk
to colleagues and managers.
Source: Fundamental Facts about Mental Health 2016, Mental Health Foundation
When people tell me that
they don’t manage anyone with
a mental health condition,
my answer is always: ‘You
probably do. They just haven’t
told you about it yet.’”
■■ Jane received a biennial GCG
award from PCS president
Janice Godrich for her work
on the union’s diversity agenda.
■■ Mental Health Awareness
Week runs from 8–14 May.
G
FIND OUT MORE
Go to mentalhealth.org.uk/
campaigns/mental-healthawareness-week
BACK TO YOUR ROOTS
Musicians, enthusiasts and
folk-lovers are bringing together
artists, dancers, storytellers and
musicians at the Hebden Bridge
Folk Roots Festival in West
Yorkshire. Acts include O’Hooley
& Tidow, Bella Gafney and
Celtarabia. A campsite will
be available.
12–14 May, tickets from £59
■■hebdenfolkroots.org
NEVER GOING
UNDERGROUND
Members of the LGBT
community have curated
an exhibition to celebrate past
and present equality
campaigners, and to mark the
50th anniversary of the 1967
Sexual Offences Act. Never
Going Underground: The Fight
for LGBT+ Rights, at the People’s
History Museum, Manchester,
is suitable for all ages.
25 Feb–3 Sept, donations.
■■phm.org.uk/whats-on
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 13
24
Noticeboard
hour’s notice was given to
EHRC staff to leave their jobs
PCS member benefits
WIN a £200 John Lewis gift
card with PCS Travel Insurance
Our trusted partner
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9am to 5pm on Saturdays and 10am to 4pm on Sundays. PCS in an Introducer Appointed Representative of Union Insurance
Services, a trading name of Union Insurance Benefit Holdings Ltd (UIB). UIB in an Introducer for Travel Insurance Facilities Plc (TIF)
and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This policy is underwritten by TIF and insured by Union
Reiseversicherung AG, UK.
Member benefits Slater and Gordon
What services do you offer PCS members?
What are the main benefits?
We’re delighted to be able to offer members our
award-winning family law service.
We’ve worked with PCS for over 30 years.
PCS members are offered a 15% discount on usual family
law rates and fixed fees where appropriate.
We can offer personal face-to-face meetings with our
dedicated lawyers in our nationwide offices, or via Skype
if more convenient.
Why should members use Slater and Gordon?
What other services do you offer?
With the largest family law team in the UK, you will have
access to some of the country’s best family lawyers, who
recognise that each family’s circumstances are unique and
require careful consideration of its individual needs, in order
to achieve the best outcome. We’re experienced in all areas
of family law and will explain the common aspects of any
procedures, including the meaning of any legal terms you will
hear during the process, whilst avoiding using legal jargon
when we communicate with you.
PCS members have access to a range of expert family law
services including, but not limited to:
■■Divorce, Separation & Civil Partnership Dissolution
■■Financial arrangements following separation
■■Child arrangements and other issues
■■Cohabitation Issues
■■International Divorce
■■Domestic Abuse
■■Pre-Nuptial Agreements & Post-Nuptial Agreements
■■Alternative Dispute Resolution
■■Islamic Family Law
How long have you provided this service?
How can members contact you? Freephone: 0800 916 9066
✱Each issue we feature one of our PCS+ suppliers, companies offering special discounts to PCS members.
For a full list of PCS+ suppliers and details of other member benefits, visit pcs.org.uk/memberbenefits
14 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
Noticeboard
What you need to know
about mandating meetings
see update p3
Prize crossword
One winner, to be picked at random, will win a £25 Love2Shop voucher
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
17
19
21
20
23
22
24
25
26
Across
1 Chancellor’s spending
plans (6)
9 Sweeping implement (5)
10Skating arena (3,4)
11And not (3)
12Alcoholic spirit (5)
14School bag (7)
15Polish monetary unit (5)
16Wooden hut (5)
21Mathematic subject (7)
23Contact sport (5)
24Department that runs
jobcentres (1,1,1)
25Flabbergast (7)
26Pungent bulb (5)
28Decaying (6)
Down
2 Alien spacecraft (1,1,1)
3 Indoor athlete (7)
4 Craving for liquid (6)
5 Robbery (5)
6 Probable (6)
7 Higher than (5)
8 PCS fund for strikers (8)
13Annual _ Conference (8)
17Aviation terminal (7)
18Martial art (6)
19Climbing tool (6)
20Doglike mammal (5)
22Painter’s tool (5)
27Anger (3)
PCS People issue 4 2016 solution
Across: 1 Delorean, 6 Frog, 8 Talc, 9 General, 10 Eerie,
11 Drowns, 12 Lost cause, 16 Badger, 17 Label, 19 Igneous,
21 Ajar, 22 EHRC, 23 Nonsense.
Down: 2 Erased, 3 Occur, 4 Eggbeater, 5 Nun, 6 Furious,
7 Online, 11 Deadly sin, 13 Organic, 14 Radish, 15 Always,
18 Blake, 20 Own.
PCS People issue 4 2016 winner is Derick Carter, Swindon
Send your completed crossword to:
Competition editor, PCS, 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN
to be in with a chance to win. Please write the crossword
month on the outside of the envelope. The closing date is
26 May 2017.
Name
Address
27
Postcode
28
Membership no
USEFUL NUMBERS FOR PCS MEMBERS
Benevolent fund
Breast Cancer Care line
Credit Union
Debt management
Domestic violence helpline
020 7801 2601
0808 800 6000
0207 924 2727
0800 716 239
0808 2000 247
Financial advice
Joining PCS
Legal advice (non-work issues)
Membership records
08000 858 590
0800 317 464
0800 916 9066
020 7801 2670
020 7801 2683
020 7924 2727
020 7801 2678
020 7801 2601
PCS Proud
Personal case advice
Racial incident hotline
Wills
Classified To advertise in this section, please call Theresa Geeson on 01778 392046 or email [email protected]
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Representative of Union Insurance Services, a trading name of Union Income Benefit Holdings Ltd (UIB), an Introducer
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Get the message
Your union needs to be able to contact you with urgent
messages, such as the outcome of ballots. Register your
To advertise in this section, contact
Theresa Geeson
01778 392046
[email protected]
personal email address, and update your contact details at:
pcs.org.uk/getthemessage
Issue 1 2017 | PCS People | 15
£2
Noticeboard
Letters
per month is a suggested donation
to the union Fighting Fund
Send your views to [email protected]
Star letter
Remember
organ donors
I was glad to hear that Mark
Serwotka is doing well after
his heart transplant surgery
(Issue 4, 2016) and am sure his
wife and children are relieved
he is on the mend.
Could I please ask that readers
also remember the colleagues,
friends and family of the heart
donor. Behind every successful
heart transplant lies not just a
team of dedicated medical,
nursing and rehabilitation staff,
but also a group of people
mourning the loss of a loved one.
Maria Dorman
MoD Retired, Huntingdon
Share your
experiences with
union journal
I would like to commend PCS People
for the excellent features which
cover many of the marvellous
campaigns which our union is
involved in across the country.
When you get bogged down with
issues affecting your own
Supporting the union
after retirement
A PCS branch secretary told
me that a member who was
retiring had said he was happy
to continue paying his subs to
continue supporting the union.
This is extremely generous, but
may I suggest that anyone who
wants to follow suit does what
this member was advised to do
– change your category of
membership to ARMS (Associate
& Retired Members). If people
remain as full members after
leaving, it is not impossible that
in an industrial action ballot,
the inclusion of people who
are no longer part of the
workforce in question could
leave the result open to challenge
by the employer.
There are ARMS groups
covering all the country. Potential
ARMS members in the North West
may wish to look us up online
at: tiny.cc/a-nw.
Neville Grundy
PCS ARMS North West
workplace and are faced with a
mountain of personal cases, it’s
important to be able to see what’s
going on in the outside world and
read about victories for brothers and
sisters in other parts of the union.
I particularly love reading the
“Me and My Job” section. Finding
out about the wide range of jobs
done by PCS reps reminds me just
how diverse our membership is,
and the important work done
by PCS members in both the
public and private sector.
I would encourage more reps
and members to contribute to PCS
People. It’s a journal that we all
own, and our contributions can
aid each other’s campaigns by
offering advice about how we can
fight back successfully against the
capitalist austerity agenda which
■■ Retired members can also make
donations to the PCS Fighting Fund,
at pcs.org.uk/fightingfund
£1.80 where sold
unfairly seeks to make our
members pay for a crisis that
we didn’t cause.
Nick Parker
PCS DWP Lincolnshire and
Rutland branch
Come clean on Brexit
When is Theresa May going
to admit to the staggering amount
of work that needs to be done
to make Brexit happen, and who
she thinks is going to do it? While
this government continues to
hack away at the size of the civil
service, we all know that tens of
thousands more civil servants will
need to be hired to conduct the
‘divorce’ from the EU. She needs to
come clean, halt the job cuts and
let people know what’s happening.
Gary Williams
Send your letters to:
The editor, PCS People,
160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN.
Email [email protected]
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The letters page is for members to exchange
views. Publication of any letter does not
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Letters should be under 250 words and may
be edited for length or clarity.
Bringing discounted Car and Home Insurance to PCS members
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16 | PCS People | Issue 1 2017
12601-2017