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PCS Left Unity National Committee

DEFEND PENSIONS - ESCALATE ACTION

NAME DAY FOR NATIONAL STRIKE

Organising Conference Saturday: Friends Meeting House

(opp. Euston Station) 7th January 2012 11am – 4pm

Chair: Janice Godrich PCS President

Speakers: Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary; John McDonnell MP; Kevin Courtney NUT DGS (personal capacity); Roger Bannister Unison NEC (personal capacity); Mark Campbell UCU NEC (personal capacity); Zita Holbourne BARAC; Kevin Donnelly Unite United Left

November 30th was the biggest show of strength from Britain’s trade unions in living memory. It shook the coalition government and provided a firm foundation for the escalation of industrial action to defeat the unjustified attack on pensions and to challenge the coalition’s pay freeze, cuts and privatisation programme.

At the TUC’s Public Sector Liaison Group Mark Serwotka on behalf of PCS argued the TUC should set the date for a further day of nationally coordinated strike action to bring the government into serious negotiations. Although there was some support for this position the TUC general secretary Brendan Barber argued that all the unions should sign up to a so-called “Heads of Agreement”, this means the core issues, on which we took action, working longer, paying more and getting less, are surrendered, just  as the government have wanted. Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, argued for acceptance of this “deal”.

It is almost beyond belief that when the confidence of the movement is at its highest point in decades as a result of November 30th and with an additional 100,000 recruits due to the action such an abject surrender is being considered. Now is the time to set the date, as early as possible in 2012, preferably January, for a further day of nationally coordinated industrial action which can be escalated by bringing even more unions on board including workers, like those in Unilever, fighting to defend private sector pensions.  

The PCS Left Unity National Committee invites all activists from all unions to an organising conference on the 7th of January to debate how we can build the campaign to defend our pensions and fight the cuts and prevent any unacceptable “deal” that makes us work longer, pay more and get less.

This will be an organising conference, not just a debating forum. It is intended to arm activists with the issues so they can go back to their workplaces and into their unions in order to build a campaign that will secure justice on pensions.
 
To cover costs there will be a registration fee of £5 for waged delegates.

FAIR PENSIONS FOR ALL - STOP THE CUTS - NO PRIVATISATION

All Out to Defend Jobs, Pay and Pensions

PCS led the way in June to defend jobs, services and pensions and now only 5 months after we are on the verge of what is likely to be the biggest strike this country has seen since the 1930s.

However we do need to be clear that no matter what happens after 30 November this fight is far from over. The bosses who caused this economic crisis, and who are driving political policy so that the market can continue to make vast wealth at our expense, are not going to relinquish their power without sustained action. They may allow the politicians to tinker with pension provisions, like Maude’s take it or leave it offer, but wholesale privatisation of the welfare state, with low pay, insecure jobs and the continuation of making the majority pay for the deficit is still their aim.

Given the fact that public sector workers, and in particular PCS members, are some of the lowest paid, are suffering the consequences of the bosses’ recession along with high inflation, a pay freeze, threats to their jobs, it is no wonder that so many are now willing to take action.

The attacks on our pensions are nothing more than a tax on public sector workers and will see us paying almost the equivalent of an extra days pay per month, while having to work longer to get less.

Left Unity is proud of the fact that many PCS members facing these and future attacks realise that we shouldn’t have to pay for the current economic crisis.

As socialists we in Left Unity believe in a better and fairer society that should provide far more for the many rather than the view taken by the mainstream parties who provide for the rich few, such as bailing out the banks which is the major cause of the budget deficit and while they insist we pay for it through cuts, job losses and privatisation.

Left Unity will not stand by and allow the government to tear up our contracts of employment, cut our pay and wreck or pension provisions as we understand that this is about defending our jobs against cuts and privatisation.  We will not pay for the bosses’ economic crisis.

As mentioned we in Left Unity believe in a fairer workplace and fairer society but we not only believe in this we are prepared to work and fight for this by taking those arguments into the workplace, to picket lines, to politicians and into the wider trade union movement. If you can help us get that message across and wish to join us you can do so by completing the membership form.

Watch out on the PCS website for events on the day and encourage members to attend - follow us on Twitter @PCSLeftUnity.