This is a guest post by Howard Fuller, Branch Secretary/PCS South West Thames
The PCS Union is currently balloting its’ members to allow Mark Serwotka (the General Secretary) and his supporters on the National Executive Committee to stand candidates and support “others” (quite unspecified) for parliamentary elections.
This ballot has now entered its second week and it is important that as many of you vote NO as possible to prevent the union becoming more of a political party than a Trade Union.
Previous ballots have indicated that most members vote in the first week and results show that around two-thirds of members never vote at all. My appeal is to those who have not yet voted to please do so otherwise the ability of the union to work on your behalf will be seriously undermined.
There are two questions on the ballot paper. The first asks you to support the “political strategy” of the PCS leadership.
Their leadership has resulted in:
- Forcing the closure of the Council of Civil Service Unions by threatening to veto any proposal put forward by the other unions to make the organisation unworkable. In the workplace we’d call that by its proper name – bullying!
- PCS is financing an alternative to the Trade Union Congress called the Trade Union Campaign Group causing divisions in the Trade Union Movement as well as wasting thousands of pounds of your subscription money on this project which is rejected by the majority of other unions.
- Serwotka and the PCS NEC spent more time criticising the other unions and the TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber causing serious and unnecessary conflict during the pensions dispute. Members of other Trade Unions were openly complaining about the behaviour of our unions leaders during meetings.
The current political strategy of Serwotka & his chums is divisive and goes against the necessary unity required with other unions. Please vote NO to Question One.
The second question put to members is to stand PCS candidates for Parliament and support others.
- This attitude led to PCS leaders supporting the Trade Union & Socialist Coalitionat the last general election (who polled 0.04% of the vote) whilst our interests, especially on the question of pensions would have been better served with the return of a Labour Government who had given us a good deal already. It was obvious to everyone the Tories would not stick with any agreements made by the last Government.
- PCS leaders belong to or support political parties which seek to use unions like PCS for their own benefit since people will not vote for half-crazed organisations like the rent-a-mob Socialist Workers Party & others who actually want to overthrow democracy.
PCS as a hybrid political party would end up on the fringes of British politics ignored by Governments, political parties and the public.
Please ensure you Vote NO to this dangerous proposal.
You still have time to Vote by Post, though you can vote by phone or on-line if you wish.
Don’t delay, Vote No today!
