Season's Greetings

Your PCS Branch would like to send you all Season’s Greetings and wish you well for 2008.

2007 has been a busy year for your branch, and we would like to thank you for your support during the year.

We appreciate that asking you to take action in the way you have is often very difficult. The national campaign and the Group pay claim are still ongoing. PCS want to reach an amicable suitable settlement to both these campaigns and it is sincerely hoped that this will happen early in 2008.

On a local level the branch has had to reorganise following the retirement of its erstwhile Secretary Ralph MBE. Hopefully the officers have provided the membership with the support it has needed and Ralph’s departure has not been noticed.

Committee members do recognise that they are often away on TU duties, which puts a strain on their immediate colleagues. We are ever grateful for your individual support in this way.
Once again enjoy your time off and see you in 2008.

On Strike - Day Two And Photos

Day two of the strike was as successful if not more so than day one. Thanks again to all of you for your support. Pictures and newspaper cuttings are below.

Pictures from Northampton to follow later in the week.

The Overtime Ban Has Started

Following on from the marvellously successful two day strike please don't forget that a two week overtime ban is in operation from 8-21 December. We appreciate your support in taking industrial action on Thursday and Friday, but it is important the campaign goes on. Question two on the ballot paper asked if you were willing to take action short of a strike and 81.6% said YES.

We need to send a clear message to senior management that we will not be tempted to earn some money back whilst taking them out of the mire that industrial action put them in. Stay at home the next two weekends. Support the overtime ban

Day One At Daventry

Just wanted to add to Mark's comments below and thank members across the district for joining in today's action, especially those who braved the cold and rain to stand on the picket line. I was particularly pleased with the reaction of members in the Daventry office, which had a picket line for the first time in many years. In fact nearly half the members in the office joined the picket line (with more promising to join tomorrow) and ninety percent of members were out on strike.

No photos of today's picket line at Daventry, but Lynn Curtis kindly gave me this press cutting from 1985. In fact Lynn is the only person to have been on the picket line in 1985 and 2007. What struck me most of all was the placard saying "CPSA members like a joke: 4.5% is a cracker."

4.5%? Many of our members are only going to get 1% a year for the next three years. And they told us things could only get better.

On Strike - Day One

A massive thank you to all of you for your support today. This has probably been the best supported day of industrial action in many a year, proving that you all feel angry about the imposition of the pay offer.

We had picket lines at Northampton, Wellingborough, both Corby sites, and, for the first time since the 1980's; Daventry. Massive, massive thanks go to those of you who joined us on those picket lines. It is great that members who are not reps join in and show unity in this way.

We had interviews both today and yesterday with The Chronicle and Echo, The Evening Telegraph, and The Daventry Express, and articles have been in all three together with photographs. Some of these can be found online.

Branch Secretary Mark Edwards also gave a live interview to BBC Radio Northampton in which he described the 'rise' those on the max will be receiving as "frankly scandalous", which has now been adopted as the branch catchphrase.

Look here again tomorrow for links to press coverage and (hopefully) photos.

News from the front line

As you know we are unable to use the work email to let you know anything about industrial action. However we will be using this blog to keep you update with progress on Thursday and Friday.

Hopefully some of you will come down and keep us company on the picket line, but for the rest of you you can find out how it turned out across Northamptonshire on this site.

Last time we were on strike members the fire service came provided support, as well as donuts, for those on the picket line at Corby Debt Centre and they are hoping for more of the same this time!

The Weakest Link

A chain is only as stong as its weakest link, or so the cliche goes. A union is not only as strong as its weakest member, but the action of every single member is crucial, especially during industrial action.

Every PCS member, all of us, will have something to thank the union for. It may not be direct help you have received, but that doesn't mean that you aren't in a better position because of the union. Without PCS and its predecessor unions, we would not have the conditions that many of us take for granted, such as flexi time, term time working, generous maternity and paternity leave and the right to retire at sixty (or later) and receive a final salary pension.

Other members have received more direct help from reps both locally and nationally. Some of you reading this may not even still be employed without the hardwork and dedication of those within the PCS.

But PCS can only support members if the membership supports PCS. Managers don't consult with reps because of who they are as individuals. We haven't saved jobs or gained help for members because a manager liked our aftershave or perfume. We have won victories, big and small, because we are part of large, active and committed union.

Taking two days strike action next week will be difficult. Not one of us will not feel the impact of the loss of pay. But every member that crosses a picket line weakens the union.

Personally, you may have done okay out of the imposed pay offer, although it is estimated that many staff will suffer a 9% pay cut in real terms over the next three years. But if you break the strike you are saying that the pay cut for many staff is acceptable. You are saying that the job losses, increased stress and more work are acceptable.

Ask yourself a simple question. Will I need the union in the future? Be honest with yourself, if you didn't think you needed the union you wouldn't be in it. With privatisation, the increased use of the Third Sector and more job losses on the way we will all need the union. So why weaken it now?

Pain in the ATOS

Earlier this year ATOS took over the contract to carry out occupational health assessments for DWP staff. When a members of staff is referred for an OHS assessment it is usually because of an underlying health issue or disability, and the resulting report can help to determine what reasonable adjustments need to be put in place to help the staff member. This can involve anything from a change of duties to the introduction of specialist equipment, or simply an increase in the trigger days.

When ATOS took over the contract from Capita, they inherited a large backlog of work. However months later there are still many people waiting for this vital health assessment to take place. While they wait they continue to suffer from the impact of their health condition, as well as the stress of possible disciplinary action.

Across the region those who have had an assessment and are waiting for the reasonable adjustment to be put into place have been identified. In some cases staff have been on "gardening leave" for months while they wait for specialist equipment to put put in place.

However management do not have any idea how many staff are lost in the system awaiting the initial OHS assessment. If you have been waiting for ATOS to carry out an assessment on you for more than two months, please let me know so that we can esculate this issue with management and ATOS.

Don't suffer in silence. Your local TU reps can only help to get this issue resolved if we are made aware. Please contact me on john.andrews@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk

Two Day Strike Announced

After talks with management broke down on Wednesday, PCS DWP group have called a two day strike for Thursday 6th December and Friday 7th December.

PCS desperately want to solve this dispute by negotiation and were pleased when Peter Hain called a meeting in the light of the ballot result. However when the full PCS pay negotiating team turned up for the talks at the chosen start time of 12:30, they were suprised to be kept waiting until 13:15 for the two management representatives to turn up. The talks were regularly punctuated by management attendees nipping out of the room for reasons unknown.

Unfortunately no proposals or further offers were forthcoming, and PCS' request to award a consolidated 3.9% payrise to all members (which can be afforded), and to renegotiate years two and three was rejected.

It is clear then that the only way to force managements hands on this derisory pay imposition is to act on the ballot result and take the industrial action that the majority of members who voted have voted for.

Don't forget that even if your November pay packet looks good, it is a one off, and you will still be paid less money in 2009 than someone in your equivalent grade with your length of service is earning now in HMRC. The Government are refusing to award us a cost of living pay rise (or any rise at all in 2008 if you are on max) at the same time as bailing out Northern Rock to the tune of 20 to 30 Billion Pounds.

Please support your Union by joining in this industrial action. Members in Northants have always shown solidarity and have supported the democratic decisions of the union. Better still join us on a picket line, on one or both days. Anything would be appreciated. Please contact a local rep for details of how you can help.

Pay Ballot Result

The results of the DWP pay ballot have been published. The turnout is disappointingly low at 33%, but make no mistake: this is still a mandate to take industrial action in response to the now imposed pay offer. The fact that 67% of members did not vote is in no way a sign that those 67% do not agree with or won't choose to strike. Please do not believe any communication stating otherwise.

If they really felt that strongly then they would have voted "no" which they clearly haven't.

So the next step is eagerly awaited. The GEC meets tomorrow to decide what should happen next. Please watch this space and the PCS website for news as it happens.

Inflation Proofing

I'm really not sure what the justification is for not giving everybody a pay rise in line with inflation. After all if we get less than inflation we are effectively getting a pay cut as our rises are not covering the increases in the cost of living.

A fair few lucky people are getting decent pay rises according to the three year pay offer which is being imposed later this month, but consider people who are on the max of their scale. The figures below show that they are receiving well short of inflation over these three years.

An EO on max currently receives £23510 per annum. At the end of the three year deal they will be on £24230. Yet if the rise is inflation proofed they would be on £26445. That is a loss of £2215pa or £185 per month

Similarly an AO on max will be on £1626 per annum less in 2009 than they would be if the rise was inflation proofed. That equates to £135 a month. It's hardly fair is it?

Of course this also has a massive effect on your pension too. If we take an EO currently on max who will retire in 2009 with 40 years service, their pension would be £13223 per annum with a lump sum of £39669 if the rise was inflation proofed. However this offer promises them £12115 pa and £36345 lump sum.

That's a massive loss of £1108 per year and £3324 lump sum. If that member of staff lives to just 80, their pension loss over those twenty years would be £22160 as a minimum.

Does anybody really believe this pay offer is the best that can be done for our long serving respected staff? They are basically going to be forced to have enormously reduced standards of living for the rest of their lives.

Vote YES to strike action and YES to action short of a strike.

Pay Progression - The Truth

While we are on the subject of the pay offer. Don't believe senior management when they tell you that the improvements to progression from minima to maxima has been included because that's what the majority of members want. They have actually included it because PCS have equal pay claims in stating that the long time it takes to get from min to max actually discriminates against women. So it's because they are running scared of being sued.

And of course because of the extra emphasis on progression, those people on the max are getting terrible deals.

Vote YES to strike action, and Yes to action short of a strike.

Pay Offer Imposed

Firstly, an apology for the blog not being updated for some time. This is due both to computer problems and paternity leave. But to make up for it we have three pieces in quick succession regarding the pay ballot and why you should vote YES to strike action, and YES to action short of a strike.

There are articles on the PCS website here, here and here.

However your branch would like to highlight some other issues. Firstly the pay deal is being imposed against our wishes in your November salary. This is a sweetener no doubt and those of you who celebrate Christmas will enjoy receiving the arrears in time for present buying. However, it is not just year one of the pay deal which is being imposed but all three years. In the vast majority of cases people will receive the best deal in year one, and for a fair few, it's a pretty good deal. But years two and three are not good deals especially for anybody on the pay maxima. Don't forget these members of staff who have given many years excellent service will get NO CONSOLIDATED RISE AT ALL in year two. Can you vote to accept this pay offer knowing how badly treated your colleagues are?

The National Campaign - What Next?

Now that consultation meetings have been held all over the country, the NEC need to take stock of what the members have told them.

The vast number of people who attended the meetings are fully behind the campaign and feel that PCS need to continue their action to fight against compulsory redundancies, to fight for fair pay rises, to stop outsourcing and privatization, to fight against cuts in the civil service compensation scheme and to fight against other attacks on our terms and conditions.

Although the last ballot for industrial action was for discontinuous action, which means that legally more strikes can happen at any time; the NEC has promised to issue a consultative, indicative ballot before any further national action is called.

Your ballot paper should arrive by the first week of October, and more information on the ballot and the campaign can be found here.

Pay Ballot Result In

Members have voted convincingly in favour of rejecting the pay offer put to them by DWP management. More information can be found here, but in short 75.7% voted to reject the offer. The turnout was 44% which although low was better than a lot of recent ballots. The Group Executive Committee will be meeting next week, and have already demanded an urgent meeting with management to discuss the way forward.

Your Branch Executive Committee think this is a sensible outcome as other posts demonstrate. There is no way that we can allow our members to receive such derisory rises over the next three years, especially those on the band maxima who have given many years of service to the employer.

Some Truths About The Pay Offer

One thing the pay offer has addressed is the short time it takes to reach the maximum scale rate for your grade. Some members have reported that they have been in the Department for over thirty years yet are still not on the max. These members will reach the max during the three years of this deal if it is accepted, but is it really worth it?

Evidence shows that at the end of the three year deal max in DWP will be less than it is in HMRC now. Are we really worth so much less than our colleagues on other departments?

And what pleasure will you have when you have reached the max and then realise that your pay rise in future years is vastly below inflation? This circular gets it right when it says "There is no point progressing to the max when the max is being artificially held down and devalued." Let's face it. Management say this is a listening offer but who have they really listened to? They appear only to have listened to people who like to spin a story to make it sound better than it is. Let's send them a resounding message that they will have to listen to and vote YES to support the GEC recommendation to REJECT the pay offer, because together we can win fair pay for all.

BEC Rejects Pay Offer

Your Branch Executive Committee met on Monday and have decided to agree with the Group Executive Committee and therefore advise you to vote YES to reject the pay offer which has been made. Ballot papers will have started dropping through letterboxes today.

Please read this circular which gives reasons why your committee feels this offer is unacceptable to the workforce as a whole.

Please be careful when you vote to read the ballot question carefully. A YES vote means rejuect the pay offer. A NO vote means to accept.

A Word About Balloting

As previously mentioned PCS will be holding a ballot in order that members can decide for themselves whether to accept the pay offer or not.

It is worth noting that this ballot is a requirement of the Union. Even if the pay offer was the best offer imaginable, your Group Executive Committee is not empowered to decide on a pay offer without putting it to you the members. The ballot is not a delaying or stalling tactic.

Please therefore exercise your vote in order that the decision is truly representative of the membership.

Panic Over Pay Offer

DWP Managers today announced that staff meetings would be held tomorrow morning to discuss the pay offer. This is the first time your BEC can recall that such meetings have been held. Managers were given details of the pay offer and time to digest it before the official announcement was to be made. The information appeared to be embargoed on the Departmental intranet until after the meetings had been held. But then PCS issued this information regarding the pay offer and announcing a ballot in which they would be recommending a "No" vote.

Lo and behold within an hour all the information was put on the intranet with the expected management opinion that the offer was a good one. Presumabaly the meetings will still go ahead tomorrow so it will be interesting to see what message we are given. Your BEC will be meeting next week to discuss the ballot and will provide more information here. As they say watch this space!

Consultation Meetings - August 2007

In line with an agreed motion at this year's conference PCS are currently undergoing consultation meetings countrywide.

These meetings are your opportunity to let a speaker from the National Executive Speaker know how you feel the current campaign is proceeding.

A successful meeting was held in Northampton on July 24th, and two further meetings have been arranged as follows:

Wellingborough BDC on 21/08/07 @ 12:15
Corby Debt Centre on 22/08/07 @ 12:15.

These meetings will last a maximum of fifteen minutes and are to be taken in your own time. They will take place outside the building. Please take every opportunity to attend these meetings and make your voice known; whether it be to tell the Union they are not doing enough, or whether you think the campaign should cease.

Ralph Baxter MBE Retires

After forty three years as a civil servant and trade union activist, Ralph Baxter has retired. Ralph was awarded the MBE in the recent Birthday Honours for his work in the Department of Work and Pensions and its predecessor organisations, but it is as a determined and effective trade union Representative that most people will remember him.

Ralph has held most posts at branch and regional level, including Branch Secretary, Branch Chair, Regional Treasurer and District Health and Safety Chair. As befits a retired rugby player, he has a reputation of someone who is not afraid of a battle, as most managers in Northamptonshire will agree. However Ralph's aim has always been to obtain the best deal for the members and he proved to be a skillful negotiator.