Anti Cuts meeting

Anti Cuts Meeting

The PUN - October 2010

The PUN - PCS Union News

We are less than a fortnight from the announcement of the Comprehensive Spending Review on 20^th October. I know that many of you are concerned about what will be announced and how it will affect our department. There are rumours of the privatisation of DWP work, of permanent staff being made redundant and our pensions being cut.  But it isn’t just staff in our department who are threatened. Everyone in the public sector is in the firing line. That is why we have to work together.

Earlier this year the three largest PCS branches in Northamptonshire came together to forge stronger ties. Since we are faced with the same threats, it is only logical that we work closer together. So every month, reps from DWP meet with reps from the Ministry of Justice and HM Revenue and Customs to agree how we can best protect our members against these unnecessary, ideological cuts.

A few months ago we wrote to every member and asked them to email their MP with any concerns that they had about the coalition government’s plans.

As a committee we have also written to every MP in the county, outlining how the proposed cuts would impact upon everyone in Northants, not just our members.

But we plan to do much more. We are working with other local public sector unions and are looking to co-ordinate our actions.

I attended the demonstration at the Lib Dem conference in Liverpool, alongside 4000 other public sector workers. We ask Nick Clegg to stick to the promises he made in his manifesto earlier this year.

It was pouring with rain, but the knowledge that we are not alone in this struggle made it worthwhile.

On the 19^th October several local reps will be taking a day’s leaving and going to the House of Commons to lobby our parliamentary representatives. We will be making the argument that large scale cuts threaten our fragile economy and could cause a “double-dip”, exactly as has happened in Ireland.

I am doubly embarrassed by using the phrase “all in this together.” Partially because it is a phrase used by the government to justify their plans. But also because it was used in High School Musical!

But we are in this together. And if we do stick together, if we believe that we can win the battle for jobs and services, then we can be successful.

Perhaps I should have simply said, unity is strength and together we will win.

But what can I do?

               The simple answer is LOADS!

Here are five simple things which, if every member does them, will help the union in its fight to save your job, your pension and your rights.

1. If you are not a member of PCS, join us now.

The more members of staff that are in PCS, the more influential the union’s voice becomes.

If you are worried about job security, your pension, your pay or your working conditions, then you need to be in PCS.

It is very easy to join. You can go to the PCS website and download a membership form. Or you can approach one of your local PCS reps and ask them for a form.

2. Lobby your local politicians

If an MP gets more than ten emails or letters on the same subject, they consider it to be a major issue to their local constituency.

PCS has made it very simple to contact your MP. If you simply go to http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/email-your-mp/ there are a series of prepared emails, which you can amend if you wish. You can contact your MP on a variety of issues, including FTA staff and protecting DWP jobs and services.

All you need to do is enter your name and address and it will send the email to your MP. And the feedback from the PCS Group in Parliament is that this has already caused many MPs to argue against some of the proposals.

3. Keep yourself informed

I know that we all struggle for time and that we often feel like we are drowning in emails, but it is important that you keep yourself up to date with what is going on.

• Emails – our branch organiser, Bob Carrington, sends out regular emails to update members. If you are a member and you currently do not receive these emails, let Bob know so he can add you to his distribution list.
• Look at www.pcs.org.uk – There is also a page dedicated specifically to DWP & CMEC staff http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/department_for_work_and_pensions_group/ which includes an update from the DWP Group President on a Friday
• Check out the branch updates – There are certain things which the Electronic Media Policy prevents reps from emailing out to you. Therefore we have set up a branch blog http://pcsnorthants.blogspot.com and a facebook group http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=356513356967, so you can have a fuller picture of what is happening. Remember you can’t access facebook from work.

4. Keep your reps up to date with local issues.

Although we have reps on most sites, it is difficult to know everything that is going on. So if there are issues you think the union could help with, let us know. Reps can’t help resolve an issue that they are unaware exists.

5. Attend union meetings

All members are allowed paid time off to attend certain PCS meetings. The most obvious example is the Annual General Meeting, which the General Secretary Mark Serwotka spoke at this year.

But when there are discussions on issues like pay, members are sometimes given time to attend meetings and give their opinion. These meetings are important because it helps reps to gauge the membership’s  feelings on an issue.

Thank you to Andrew Prowse for producing this cartoon.

Young Members Help To Raise Nearly Five Hundred Pounds For Local Hospice!

As part of Young Workers Week, the branch Young Members Officer Sarah Burroughs, organised a dress down day in aid of Cransley Hospice in Wellingborough.

 Thanks to Sarah’s hard work and the efforts of the other young reps, staff in DWP raised £469.20 for this local charity!

Cransley Hospice provides hospice and palliative care services for the population of Northamptonshire. The team of specialist nurses, doctors and therapists based within the Hospice provide a comprehensive service of care to the patient for whose illness cure may no longer be an option, be they in the Hospice itself, the local hospitals or in their own homes.

Young Workers Week was a national event, organised to highlight the issues that many young people face in the work place. Young workers are often disproportionally effected by poor pay and employment opportunities.

The work carried out by our young members shows that it doesn’t matter how old you are, if you are good enough to do the job.

·       John Andrews – Branch Chair, H&S Chair for CSD. Based at Frances House

·       Kevin Doherty – Vice Chair, H&S Rep. Based at Corby JCP

·       Mark Edwards – Branch Secretary, H&S Rep, Union Learning Rep & Regional Treasurer. Based at Frances House

·       Bob Carrington – Branch Organiser. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Jill Hilton – Branch Treasurer and H&S rep. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Rachael Watts – Fraud rep and Equality Officer. Based at Frances House

·       Sarah Burroughs – Young Members Rep. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Paul Hegarty – Branch Rep and BDC H&S Chair. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Lucy Stanbra – Branch Rep. Based at Corby Debt Centre

·       Pete Handley – Branch Rep. Based at Corby Debt Centre

·       Joy Lyman – Branch Rep. Based at Corby JCP 

·       Dave Gardiner – Branch Rep and H&S rep. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Corinna Nelson – Branch Rep and delegate to Regional Committee. Based at Lothersdale House

·       Franklin Siafa – Branch Rep. Based at Frances House

·       Joy Capstick – Branch Rep. Based at Frances House

·       Steve Savage – H&S rep. Based at Kettering JCP

·       Kay Evans – Branch Rep. Based at Daventry JCP

·       Ady Cicceri -  Branch Rep. Based at Kettering JCP

·       John White – Branch Rep and H&S rep. Based at Frances House

Remember, if you want to keep up to date with everything going on across PCS, keep an eye on the national website www.pcs.org.uk.

The branch is planning on organising a free music event for members before Christmas. We are looking at inviting some local bands to perform at a venue in either Northampton or Wellingborough at the end of November.

If you are interested in this or have any suggestions, please contact Bob Carrington in Wellingborough.

DWP Pay 2010 - PCS demands a fairer offer for all

11 October 2010

Detailed pay talks in DWP have now ended. The DWP PCS Group Executive Committee has considered the offer management want to make and has unanimously agreed to reject the offer and seek much needed improvements to it.

Updated statement on the civil service compensation scheme - 8 October

Union opposes Government's divide and rule tactics

The national executive committee met on 7 October to consider an offer from the Cabinet Office on changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS).
The NEC decided that, in its present form, the offer does not protect the accrued rights of sufficient numbers of our members and is not acceptable. We have called on the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude MP, to enter into further talks in order to find an agreement with the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU). We believe an agreement is possible.

Disgracefully, some other unions representing a minority of staff have collaborated with the Government in attempting to divide the CCSU at a time when we are faced with the prospect of massive job cuts. These unions have entered into a separate agreement with the Government, even whilst CCSU discussions were taking place. The government’s planned cuts make this a vital issue concerning members’ livelihoods, and the minority unions’ actions are a matter of the utmost seriousness. We have demanded that the Minister returns to talks to find an agreement with the CCSU.

Check www.pcs.org.uk for more information

Save NHS Direct

The Coalition Government’s Health Secretary Andrew Lansley indicated on August 26th that he intended to scrap the 24 hour adviceline NHS Direct and replace it with a new 111 with far less nursing staff to answer calls.

This decision was confirmed by a press release from the Department of Health.

Save NHS Direct was launched to stop the popular service being scrapped and an online petition against the plan has so far raised more than 16,000 signatures.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said that any petition reaching 100,000 signatures would guarantee a Commons debate on the matter.

So we call on the Coalition to think again and Save NHS Direct for the good of the nation.

PCS at the TUC

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/tuc-2010/index.cfm

Mark Serwotka in the Guardian about alternative to cuts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/13/alternative-public-spending-cuts?CMP=twt_gu

Mark Serwotka on the One Show

Not exactly an unbiased piece on Mark Serwotka, but still worth a look. Starts at 16 minutes 40 seconds and goes on until 21 minutes 40 seconds.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ts0qs/The_One_Show_13_09_2010/

Mark Serwotka speaking at TUC about public sector cuts

Mark Serwotka at TUC conference 2010

Guide to TUC 2010

Next week is the TUC Congerence in Manchester. The New Statesman has produced a guide to the conference and the state of the unions, including an interview with PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka.


http://www.newstatesman.com/pdf/tradeunionguide2011.pdf

Support the lawful industrial action (minor errors) private members Bill

John McDonnell MP is campaigning to repeal part of the anti-trade union laws and make it impossible for employers to take trade unions to court to block strike action on minor technicalities that would have had no effect on the outcome of the ballot.

John, chair of the PCS parliamentary group, came top in the private members bill ballot earlier this year. This means he is able to present a bill of his choosing in parliament.

The current legislation puts a massive burden on trade unions and means trade union ballots are subject to far tighter regulations than general elections.

The lawful industrial action (minor errors) bill will be debated by MPs on Friday 22 October. Please lobby your MP today to ask them to attend the debate and vote for the bill.

Click here  to enter your details and an email will be sent directly to your MP.

Civil Servants In Northamptonshire Must Fight Back

Dear Member,

Never has there been such a concerted attack on the pay, terms and working conditions of civil servants in Northamptonshire.

We have been threatened with a pay freeze for all members earning more than £21000 per annum pro rata. We have been told our staffing levels are going to be slashed. We have seen HMRC offices closed and are likely to see some of our courts closed as well. We have been told again that the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) is to be ripped up with us losing thousands of pounds, and the likelihood is that our pensions will be attacked as well. And in the midst of this we are being asked of ways to save billions of pounds of the Treasury’s budget.

We Need To Act Urgently

The HMRC and DWP branches of PCS are working together to support our members, and other branches will be with us very soon.

We have our own website http://pcsnorthants.blogspot.com/ where we will endeavour to keep you updated with our work and campaigning.

What You Can Do

Please take this circular home and visit our blog. On there you will find out how to respond to the Government’s request for money saving ideas. They can save billions without losing a single civil servant’s job, but we need to tell them how.

You can also find a draft letter to send to your MP to complain about the attacks on the CSCS. Remember we won our first battle about the CSCS and we can win again. Statistics show that if an MP receives just five letters on the same subject (s)he gets nervous and does try to act. There are well over 200 PCS members in each county constituency.

Please, please find just ten minutes to visit the blog and let the Treasury and your MP know the strength of feeling and that attacks on the civil service will not be tolerated.

Fraternally

Mark Edwards                      Clare Edwards
John Andrews                       Lewis Bevan

DWP                                    HMRC

Compensation scheme campaign - contact your MP

We all know that the government is planning on changing the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. We all know that if they do, it will be much easier and cheaper to make PCS members redundant. So surely it is worth five minutes of your time to contact your MP to show how strongly members feel avout this threat to jobs and services?

Simply click on this link, enter your name and address and it will produce an email which it will send to your local MP. That is all there is to it.

Remember, five minutes now might save your compensation scheme and your job.

Tell the Treasury that there is an Alternative

At first glance, Cameron and Clegg asking public sector workers to come up with ideas of how to cut their own jobs, makes the government look as if it bereft of ideas. But in truth this is simply a ruse to be able to claim that they are only carrying out the cuts that it's own workforce suggested.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Asking public servants to vote for their own cuts is breathtakingly arrogant and deceitful. Far from being 'all in this together', the approach the government is taking will hit the poorest and most vulnerable in society the hardest. As well as massive welfare cuts it is also freezing the pay of the very public sector workers that Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg now thank for their hard work."

“We need investment in public services, not cuts, to help pull the economy out of recession. Creating jobs would boost employment and tax revenue.”

We all have the opportunity to put our ideas to the treasury, via their website. Rather than give the Con Dem government ammunition to sack other PCS members, please use this opportunity to put across the case against cuts. Here are a few ideas of what to say:

1. There is more than £100 billion in evaded or uncollected taxes. Effective collection of tax, together with a "Robin Hood Tax" on financial speculation would mean that the government wouldn't even need to make swingeing cuts.

2. The govenment could save £78 billion over 30 years simply by stopping the replacement of Trident nuclear weapons.

3. Private consultants cost the tax payer millions of pounds each year and often only confirm what the staff already know! Also eliminate the farce of holding 230 separate pay negotiaitions for civil and public services and have a national pay structure.

4. Millions could be saved by putting an end to privatisation and Public Finance Initiatives.

5. The Treasury estimates that the cuts will create a further 1.3 million unemployed. This will mean more people claiming benefits and less paying income tax. Also it will mean less consumer spending which will hit private companies and cost the private sector jobs as well. How can this possibly be good for the economy?

So don't waste this opportunity to show Mr Osborne that we know there is an alternative. Simply click on http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/

Do the Maths George

X factor that really matters

Just days before the World Cup, Fabio Capello has decided to change his entire squad and bring in a host of new, untried players in. He has been quoted as saying it doesn't really matter which English players he picks and that he believes it is a good time for a change.

Obviously that isn't true. It would be madness for anyone to do something so foolish before the biggest challenge of all. But PCS members in DWP could be in danger of doing something similar.

For members in DWP, the re-run GEC election is possibly the most important election we will be involved in this year. In the General Election, many of us lived in constituencies where it hardly mattered if we decided to vote. But in this election every single vote will matter.

Over the last six years this GEC, led by Jane Aitchison, has done everything possible to protect the jobs, rights and pensions of every member of staff in the Department. But now we all face our biggest challenge. We face a government committed to making savage cuts to the public sector because of ideological reasons, not economic necessity. 

If we vote in a weak, untried, divisive GEC then we are voting for redundancies. It is that simple. But failure to vote at all could allow that to happen. Don't waste your vote and vote for those listed below:

RE RUN PCS DWP GROUP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS 2010
PRESIDENT Jane Aitchison
GROUP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dave Alston, Alison Carass, Jason Ferraby, Helen Flanagan, Jimmy Gill, Janice Godrich, Sharon Green, Gavin Hartley, Martin Jones, Adam Khalif, Marie McDonough, Dave Owens, Ian Pope, Carol Revell, Sarah Robinson, Sian Ruddock, Lesley Salt, Jagdeep Sandhu, Nigel Sheahan, Derek Thomson, Steve West

New Government, New Danger?

After five days of negotiations we now have a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition. Despite all the rhetoric about change, it is already clear that the Thatcherite strategy of destroying the public sector and the Welfare State is one that the Conservative PM plans to pursue.

Although PCS won a fantastic victory in the courts earlier in the week, don't think that the war is won. The new government is will appeal against the decision and if it we win the appeal, it will only mean that anyone made redundant will get the redundancy pay they have accrued during their service. It does not mean that the planned redundancies will not happen.

Don't believe me? Well the new Chancellor, George Osborne, has promised to deliver an emergency budget within fifty days which will cut the defecit by six billion pounds. That money will be found by cutting back on public services.

You may think that the government have no other option. But just think for a minute. This year the banks which the tax payer bailed out, have paid nearly the same amount of money in BONUSES. So despite the fact that the bankers reckless pusuit for super profits failed, they have still received billions of pounds in rewards! Surely it makes more sense for this money to go towards repaying the banks bail out, rather than make public sector workers redundant?

We are still awaiting full details of the cabinet, but the decision to make Iain Duncan Smith the new DWP Minister sends a clear message. Since 2005 IDS has been Chairman for the right wing think tank, The Centre for Social Justice. This group has continuously argued that the voluntary sector delivers better than the public sector and advocates that voluntary organisations should replace work currently carried out by civil servants. The Conservative Manifesto explicited stated that "The Work Programme will be delivered by private and voluntary providers, who will only be paid when someone gets and keeps a job." In other words, the new minister is on a mission to dismantle his own department.

What happens in DWP will be replicated across other departments. The website http://www.theyworkforyou.com/ gives an excellent breakdown on the voting record and opinions of all MPs, so when your new minister is announced, you can get get a decent idea of what their plans will be.

PCS will face it's biggest test during the life of this parliament. The reason for the cuts is ideological, not economic. The recession is just being used as an excuse, because boom or bust, they planned the cuts. We need to make the argument that it is the interest of the country, not just our members, that these savage cuts do not take place.

Right now is were the fight for our jobs begins.

Major Victory for PCS in High Court

PCS has won a major legal victory in the battle to save the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. Get full details by clicking on the link below

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/index.cfm/id/B487C672-FD54-4A34-87B4A0D65749229E

Love Music Hate Racism

Make Your Vote Count - Members Question Time

The PCS branches have got together and invited the candidates standing in Northampton North and Northampton South (with the exception of the BNP) and invited them to a Members Question Time to be held week commencing 26th April 2010.We are still awaiting a few replies, but so far all those who have responded are happy to be involved.

This is your opportunity to ask the candidates face to face about the issues which concern you. Your vote matters. make it count.

Photos from Budget day action - - Outpost Corby

What is a single day's pay worth?

One day's pay could help save the compensation scheme. One day's pay could help save your job.

Nobody likes to lose any of their hard earned pay. But if we lose this campiagn it will be easier for any future government to get rid of our staff on the cheap. Isn't it more sensible to sacrifice a little to keep what we have, than to do nothing now and risk everything?

Make Your Vote Count - Members Question Time

As part of the Make Your Vote Count campaign, PCS Northamptonshire have decided to hold a question time event which will allow members to put questions direct to the candidates standing at the General Election.

We have written to all the candidates standing in the Northampton North and Northampton South constituencies, with the exception of the BNP, to offer them the opportunity to speak directly to PCS members about the issues which affect us all.

Our plan is to hold a separate event for each constituency and we will keep you updated with every response we receive.

PCS Write To Gordon Brown

After receiving no reasonable responses from our letter to Tessa Jowell, Mark Serwotka has now written to Gordon Brown in an attempt to seek a negotiated settlement to our dispute.

PCS remain adamant that negotiation is the only way to meet our needs to defend the Compensation Scheme. It would be great if we receive an early promising response from the Prime Minister, but in the meantime, we must continue to prepare for March 24th.

Hope Not Hate March

Although the action to defend the Compensation Scheme is foremost in PCS's priorities at the moment, and we all need to deliver a positive day of action on March 24th, there are still campaigns that need supporting.

One of these is the fight against fascism, and particularly the BNP.

It is predicted that the BNP will field candidates in 400 constituencies during the upcoming general election, and it is vital they win none of them.

To that end there is a Hope Not Hate day of action being held in Northampton on March 27th. The more people that attend this event and say that there is no place for this party of hatred the better.

Cut Bankers Bonuses Not Civil Servants Compensation

Getting Rid Of Civil Servants Is A False Economy

On Budget Day, Do The Maths

Budget Day = Strike Day. National action now set for Wednesday 24th March.

In order to gain the maximum publicity the next day of action will take place on Budget Day, the 24th March. For full details click on the link below.
http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/cscs/cscs-updates-and-briefings/national-action-now-set-for-budget-day.cfm 
Remember that if you take action on 24th March it will not affect your pay until the end of April.

All Out On March 19th

More information to follow but link to PCS page is here

PCS Northamptonshire Committee - Many branches, one union

Clare Edwards (HMRC) Mark Edwards (DWP) John Andrews (DWP) Lewis Bevan (HMRC)

Regardless of which organisations we work for, PCS members are faced with similar issues and concerns. PCS is the fifth biggest union in the country, but we punch above our weight because we are an active, campaigning union.

The Northamptonshire branches of the Ministry of Justice, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions are working closer than they have ever done before, because we recognise that united we are stronger that we are as individual branches.

We are working to ensure that all the PCS branches in the county are involved in the Northants Committee. In the months ahead we will continue to work together on the Compensation Scheme campaign and in the run up to the General Election the Make Your Vote Count campaign.

It is early days but we are confident that the more we work together, the better things will be for all the PCS members in Northamptonshire.

PCS Strike on local news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/england/realmedia/eastmidlandstoday/eastmidlandstoday?size=16x9&bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1

A report on local news which includes Northants reps at the rally in Leicester.

Interview on Radio Northampton

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p006pyh8

Lewis Bevan, the Chair of the HMRC branch in Northamptonshire, was interviewed on picket line in Kettering on Monday. Interview starts at 1hour 6 minutes and finishes at 1 hour 11 minutes.

Industrial Action - March 2010

Congrats to all Northants PCS reps for the action delivered over the past 2 days. Good coverage in local media, including Northampton Chronicle and Echo, Kettering Evening Telegraph and BBC Radio Northampton.

R&C Group reps attending lobby of Parliament tomorrow (10 March), including meetings with Northants MPs. report to follow.

PCS Strike Great Success in Northamptonshire

The campaign to prevent jobs cuts on the cheap has received strong support from PCS members across Northamptonshire. With picket lines outside Jobcentres, tax offices and courts we have highlighted the campaign against changes in our compensation scheme. There have been articles in the Chronicle and Echo and the Evening Telegraph, which has raised the profile locally of the campaign. There were also items on the local and national news. Lewis Bevan from HMRC branch was interviewed on the picket line in Kettering by Radio Northamptonshire and one local member was involved in the Victoria Derbyshire debate on Radio Five Live.

Reps and activists despute the claims by managers that most members still went into work. Several branches reported an increase in new members and even new reps. Members who had crossed picket lines in the past stayed at home and many picket lines reported a great deal of public support.

If you want to see more about how the action has been reported, click on the links below:
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Strike-disrupts-a-string-of.6133911.jp