“We can carry forward the legacy that Mark Serwotka has left us and secure the future of PCS that members deserve: a fighting and winning union that’s got their back whatever happens in the years to come.”
Fran Heathcote and Paul O’Connor set out their key pledges for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) elections, with the ballot for General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary closing on December 14th.
As we approach the final weeks of the PCS General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary elections, we’re grateful for the overwhelming support, endorsements, and hard work from our members, representatives, political figures, and celebrities. It’s heartening to witness the collective effort to get us elected and into positions where we can continue fighting and winning for members.
We are the only candidates with a proven track record of strong and effective negotiating with the government. Between us we have decades of experience on the shop floor, listening to members, fighting and winning for them at every level of the union. We’ve turned that experience into strategies that have won for members on our national campaign, putting more money in their pockets and defending and improving on terms and conditions.
Our key pledges:
Campaign for Improved Pay: We will fight for for better pay, having already secured a £1,500 lump sum and doubled the Treasury pay remit.
Support Flexible and Homeworking Arrangements: We will defend and advocate for flexible and homeworking options, recognising the importance of adapting to changing work environments.
Action on Equality: We are committed to creating discrimination-free workplaces, building diversity, and strengthening unity among members, with a focus on rebuilding the union’s LGBT+ network.
Strengthen Rights of Privatised Workers: We will develop strategies to enhance the rights of workers in private sector employers, ensuring fair treatment and protection.
Defend Jobs and Working Conditions: We will protect jobs and maintain favourable working conditions for PCS members.
Hold Government Accountable on Pensions: We will pursue justice for pension contributions, with a case scheduled for the High Court in February 2024.
Defence of Redundancy Terms: We will robustly defend redundancy terms for PCS members, safeguarding their interests.
Challenge Discrimination: We are committed to confronting discrimination wherever it occurs in the workplace, fostering an inclusive environment.
Maintain Democracy and Inclusivity: We will ensure PCS remains a democratic, inclusive, and member-led union, having helped deliver conferences in Wales and Scotland.
Oppose Hostile Government Policies: We will lead the fight against hostile government policies, as we have done to stop our members having to implement inhumane refugee policies.
Our opponents promise the earth but have no real idea or proposals to back it up, delivering the opposite of their “actionnotwords” slogan. Their narrative offers change, when in fact they plan to take us back to strategies that haven’t worked before, such as mass unpaid, one and two-day strikes.
Our strategy and leadership has already delivered real results, and with the support of our members, we can carry forward the legacy that Mark Serwotka has left us and secure the future of PCS that members deserve: a fighting and winning union that’s got their back whatever happens in the years to come.
- Fran Heathcote is the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) President and Organiser of PCS Left Unity. You can find out more about her campaign for PCS General Secretary on Twitter here.
- Paul O’Connor is a Senior National Officer for the PCS and serves as Secretary to the union’s National Disputes Committee. He running for Assistant General Secretary to the Union.
- You can follow the PCS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
