Don't Miss the Bus

The post is to advise members about the Annual General Meeting transport arrangements.

A FREE bus has been laid on for members’ convenience, thank you to all the members who have indicated that they are coming and need transport.

The meeting details are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 25th February 2010
Venue: The Cliffs Hotel, Blackpool
Time: 10.15 am

The pick-up points and times are as follows:

Norcross/Warbreck (Jackson’s Bus/Coach)
Arrive DWP Site, Norcross, Norcross Lane, Blackpool (Main Entrance) 9:30 am
Depart: 9:35 am

Arrive DWP Site, Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill Road, Blackpool (Main Entrance) 9:55 am
Depart: 10:00 am

Arrive Cliffs Hotel, Blackpool: 10:05 am

Depart Cliffs Hotel for return trip (as above, in reverse order) 13:00 pm approx

Peel Park (Jackson’s Bus/Coach)

Pick up at main entrance, Government Buildings, Blackpool Industrial Estate, Brunel Way, Blackpool 9:50 am

Arrive at Cliffs Hotel, Blackpool 10:10 am

Depart Cliffs Hotel (for return trip as above) 13:00 pm approx

A free buffet and refreshments will be served at circa 12.20 pm.

The transport will depart from the venue after the meeting at approximately 1.00 pm.

Most areas will get at least 2 hours time plus reasonable travelling time to attend the AGM. In the DCS DCPU Helpline where people are on contracted hours you should not lose out as a result of attending the AGM as we have held discussions with the employer to try and ensure that there is sufficient time for you to attend the meeting and get back to work, if needs be (as an additional 30 minutes on a flexible basis has been secured).

Please make every effort to attend the meeting. If you need any further details, please do not hesitate to contact Michelle Kenyon, Ext 61186.

PCS Local LGBT Awareness Event

Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch are holding an Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) awareness event as February is LGBT History Month.

The event will take the form of a road-show/stall on Tuesday 23rd February at 11.45 - 2.00 in C118N at Warbreck House.

There will be plenty of information available and also reps to talk to if you wish to about any of the issues surrounding LGBT issues in the workplace.

We hope to see you there.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans History Month

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans History Month takes place every year in February. It celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. We are committed to celebrate its diversity and that of the society as a whole. We encourage everyone to see diversity and cultural pluralism as the positive forces that they are and endeavour to reflect this in all we do.

Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are found in all occupations and professions, all cultural groups, all social classes, can be of any age and live in all areas of the country.

It is estimated that one in 10 of the population are lesbian or gay. But society assumes heterosexuality is the only natural and acceptable lifestyle.

Many lesbians, gay, bisexual and trans people are forced to hide their identity at work because by openly coming out they risk isolation, victimisation or even dismissal.

Challenging Homophobia & Transphobia
Very often stigma is attached to homosexuality, which results in gay people experiencing a variety of social and economic sanctions. These range from hurtful anti-gay jokes, to outright physical attack or loss of a job. Homophobia is the term used to describe a fear of same sex relationships, or a fear of those who love the same sex. Homophobia at its worst results in violence against lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

Transphobia is the negative valuing, stereotyping and discriminatory treatment of individuals who do not conform in appearance and/or identity, to conventional conceptions of gender. Trans-identified (transgendered) individuals, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and their supporters are typically the targets of transphobia. Every day, trans people across the world face violence, abuse, rape, torture and hate crime, inside and outside their homes.

PCS Proud
PCS Proud is the equality group representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) members within PCS.

Proud aims to support all LGBT members in the workplace and offer support and training to help those members tackle any problems they may face linked to their sexuality and trans status.
PCS as a union is firmly committed to equality and diversity and actively campaigns on behalf of members in minority groups and communities, including LGBT people. PCS Proud has a national committee organising in every region/county of the UK.

For more information have a look at the website at http://www.pcsproud.org.uk/.

2010 Annual General Meeting

Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch Proudly Present:

The 2010 Annual General Meeting

Thursday 25th February 2010.
The Cliffs Hotel, Blackpool.
10.15am.

Free transport and free buffet provided.

For further details contact:

Michelle Kenyon
Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch Organiser
Room C122A, Warbreck House
Ext: 61186

Trade Union Appeal & Benefit Concert: Haiti Earthquake

TUC Aid, the trade union charity for working people in need throughout the world, has launched an emergency appeal in response to the earthquake in Haiti.

Proceeds from the Appeal will be used by the trade union movement in Haiti for emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation of victims in collaboration with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which represents 175 million workers across the world and has 311 national affiliates.

Please visit the TUC website to find out more about the appeal and how to donate.

Benefit Concert
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the TUC have organised a benefit concert at TUC Congress House, London on Wednesday 3 February, featuring Billy Bragg and many other performers. For more information and booking details go to Concert for Haiti.

PCS is supporting this event.

HP Enterprise Services campaign

Encourage anyone you know in HPe (formerly EDS) to join his colleagues and support the campaign

PCS members in HP Enterprise Services are angry that public money is being spent on large CEO salaries and expenses, rather than rewarding hard working employees who consistently deliver high quality IT services to both the DWP and other clients.

Mark Hurd, the HP CEO received a total compensation package of $42,514,524 (US) for the year end 31 October 2008. In the same year, he spent $135,734 (US) on his personal use of the HP corporate jet!

Is this fair when the members jobs are not secure and they've been asked to take pay cuts?

Encourage members to support the campaign and tell Mark Hurd and HP Enterprise Services that enough is enough!

Our union at HP Enterprise Services PCS is campaigning for:

- Improved job security for all PCS members in the North West and North East – no compulsory redundancies
- Improved pay for those covered by collective bargaining
- An annual pay review for all staff

Below are some suggestions about how our HPe PCS colleagues can support the campaign for fairness at work:

• Send an email to your local MP outlining your concerns (guidance here).
  Invite your colleagues to go to PCS events and meetings and to join PCS if they are not a member.
• Participate in the ballot, which closes on 30 November.

Civil Service Compensation Scheme Campaign

The Civil Service (particularly the Department for Work and Pensions) is one of (if not the) largest employers on the Fylde Coast, however recent Ministerial figures indicate that there are now circa 5,000 DWP staff on the Fylde Coast. There used to be thousands more.

Job Cuts in the Fylde and the attacks on the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

In the Department for Work and Pensions it has been established that over two thousand one hundred jobs have already been cut on the Fylde. Once the worst of the bankers created recession is over then there could be attempts at a purge on Civil Service jobs.
Following from the recent unilateral attempt to impose changes to civil servants’ redundancy terms, it is clear that the government are preparing to cut more jobs on the cheap. The published proposals have not been agreed with the PCS.

The proposals include the following attacks:

• Slashed - The amount of compensation paid if you are made compulsory redundant.


• Chopped - The amount of money that may be offered on any exit scheme (including compulsory redundancy on voluntary basis)


• Axed - All the enhancements to any early retirement schemes that may be offered in the future will be axed.

It is clear that the Government are preparing to cut more jobs on the cheap. Cutting the compensation makes it cheaper to get rid of people. (There is also concern about the standard of the jobs for those left after the job cuts. Due to attacks on Conditions of Service following the job cuts many of the posts are now of the call centre type).

Membership support for the Campaign
The reaction of members to the Government’s proposals was tested in a series of workplace meetings held in September and October 2009. Over 35,000 members came to 1000 meetings making it the largest such exercise the union has carried out. The overwhelming majority made it very clear that they supported the union’s objectives to protect members’ existing entitlements. More than 80% said that they would support campaigning action if negotiations do not produce the result we need.

The views of members were also made clear in the responses to the Government’s consultation. 18,000 comments were sent to the Cabinet Office, the overwhelming majority of which clearly opposed the proposed cuts to the scheme. This was a marvellous response which communicated effectively the depth of feeling on the issue to the employer.

Legal action
The National Executive Committee has agreed to instigate a judicial review to halt the process by which the Government seems intent of removing members’ accrued rights under the CSCS.
Lobbying of MPs

115 MPs have signed up to an early day motion on the CSCS. Over 100 signatures for an EDM on an industrial issue is a tremendous level of support. This reflects effective lobbying by many members in constituencies, and MPs’ increased receptiveness to that in the run-up to a General Election. The Branch has written to all four local MPs who represent the Fylde area asking for the support.

Further negotiations
Previously the Government has announced that it has come to its ‘final decision’ on the matter. Nevertheless, the Cabinet Office has now agreed to meet the unions to discuss the proposals. The unions have agreed to further discussions in order to make one last effort at finding a way forward without the need for legal or other campaigning action. At the time of writing, however, there was no indication that progress at the meeting towards addressing our substantive concerns is imminent.

Conclusion
In 2010 there will be a General Election and the Branch will be contacting the candidates to ask where they all stand on all the above issues and will provide assistance to members who may also wish to ask the candidates about such matters.

The Branch will ensure that we play our full role in the Campaigning Action that may be needed. Further details will be issued in due course.

Holocaust Memorial Day

On 27th January 1945, Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Soviet troops.

Holocaust Memorial Day is the international day of remembrance for the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

The millions of victims of the Holocaust included Jews, gypsies, disabled people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people, as well as political dissidents and trade unionists.

Despite the harsh lessons of the Holocaust, prejudice and discrimination are still widespread.

Around the world minority groups and political activists still face persecution.

While the grotesque industrialised genocide of the Holocaust has not since been repeated, genocide still occurs, and all too often the world stands by and does nothing. PCS and our sister trade unions around the world are committed to challenging prejudice and combating discrimination.

Yorkshire and Humber are currently piloting a Holocaust Awareness training session for reps.

Holocaust Memorial Day: 27 January 2010 is an opportunity for us to think about what we can do to challenge prejudice together, as a union and as individuals.

We can all make a difference by challenging racism, homophobia and all other forms of prejudice, and supporting campaigns for equality and fairness.

For further information:

http://www.hmd.org.uk/
http://www.het.org.uk/
http://www.annefrank.org.uk/

PCS National Industrial Action Ballot

PCS HQ has supplied the following information:

The National Executive Committee (NEC) has agreed to proceed to ballot members on a campaign of national industrial action, with the aim of securing an agreement that would protect members’ entitlements under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) and provide for acceptable protection for members in the Nuvos pension scheme not covered by the CSCS. The ballot will run from February 4 to February 25.

The Government’s proposed changes to the CSCS threaten to tear up members’ accrued contractual rights and drastically cut compensation payments in the event of redundancy, whether compulsory or voluntary. They would make job cuts cheaper at a time when we know that all the main political parties are planning huge public spending cuts. All members would be at greater risk of redundancy.

Meetings have taken place with government Ministers to make clear our objections and seek new proposals. We have worked hard in an attempt to secure an acceptable settlement. But, so far, the employer has refused to come to an agreement with us.

Membership Support for Action
The reaction of members to the Government’s proposals was tested in a series of workplace meetings held in September and October. Over 35,000 members came to 1000 meetings making it the largest such exercise the union has carried out. The overwhelming majority made it very clear that they supported the union’s objectives to protect members’ existing entitlements. More than 80% said that industrial action should be considered if negotiations do not produce the result we need.

The views of members were also made clear in the responses to the government’s consultation. 18,000 comments were sent to the Cabinet Office, the overwhelming majority of which clearly opposed the proposed cuts to the scheme. This was a marvellous response which communicated effectively the depth of feeling on the issue to the employer.

Legal Action
The NEC has agreed to instigate a judicial review to halt the process by which the Government seems intent of removing members’ accrued rights under the CSCS.

Industrial Action
Feedback from the membership meetings has highlighted the necessity for action to be at a level that will exert sufficient pressure on the employer to bring about an agreement to withdraw the order in Parliament that will have been laid to amend the scheme, which is planned to take effect from 1 April. March will be the key period to build pressure.

The NEC has therefore agreed that members are balloted on a programme of discontinuous industrial action, aimed at maximising disruption to the employer, to include a combination of national strike action, rolling action (i.e. across different departments, or other employers, over different days) and targeted action (i.e. specific areas which are particularly effective at causing disruption). It will be emphasised to members that our intention would be to call effective action at the same time as minimising the financial loss to members as far as possible.

The nature of the action will be subject to consultation with the national campaigns liaison group which meets on Friday 15 January. The NEC will then meet to consider the ballot result and to agree the precise form of action to be notified to the employer.

Lobbying of MPs
115 MPs have signed up to an early day motion on the CSCS. Over 100 signatures for an EDM on an industrial issue is a tremendous level of support. This reflects effective lobbying by many members in constituencies, and MPs’ increased receptiveness to that in the run-up to a General Election.

Further Negotiations
Previously the government has announced that it has come to its ‘final decision’ on the matter. Nevertheless, the Cabinet Office has now agreed to meet the unions to discuss the proposals. The unions have agreed to further discussions in order to make one last effort at finding a way forward without the need for industrial and legal action. At the time of writing, however, there was no indication that progress at the meeting towards addressing our substantive concerns is imminent. It is vital that we keep up the pressure and the NEC has agreed to proceed with the ballot.

What to do if you have been discriminated against at work

The following has been supplied by Stonewall.

The advice given is general advice about the workplace and applies to any workplace. If you think you are being discriminated against at work and are a PCS member, please speak to a local PCS rep on your site.

All employees are now protected by the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003. If you feel that you have been discriminated against or bullied at work because of your actual or perceived sexual orientation, then these regulations might well be relevant to you.

How you are protected
The legislation defines three types of discrimination at work:

Direct Discrimination: According to the new Regulations, treating people less favourably than others on grounds of sexual orientation constitutes direct discrimination.

Indirect discrimination: This means applying a provision, criterion or practice which disadvantages people of a particular sexual orientation. For example, this could apply if an employer only offers benefits to the heterosexual partners of their employees and not to same-sex partners.

Harassment: The legislation defines harassment as unwanted conduct that violates people’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
The legislation provides protection to lesbian, gay and bisexual workers throughout the entire employment relationship – from recruitment to dismissal. The ban on sexual orientation discrimination applies to terms and conditions, pay, promotions, transfers, training and dismissal.

How you could take action
If you feel that you are experiencing harassment or discrimination, here are some steps you could take:

Tell someone at work: Firstly, speak informally to your manager, senior manager, or someone in HR. Tell them what has happened and ask that they take action to help resolve the matter.
If the incidents of discrimination or harassment are ongoing, try to keep a diary, as this could be used as evidence.

Also consider talking to your trade union if you are a member of one. Some unions have specific forums or groups for their lesbian, gay and bisexual members.

If the situation is not resolved, then you could submit a formal grievance to your employer. If you are not happy with how your employer handles your grievance, you can submit an appeal.
Once you have been through these stages, if you are not satisfied that your situation has been resolved, then you could consider seeking legal advice with a view to taking your employer to an employment tribunal. Find out more about employment tribunals here.

The grievance process
Employees may need to use the formal grievance process to resolve the discrimination or harassment they are experiencing at work. Click here to see our guide to the process, which also details some alternative courses of action employees can take.

Statutory questionnaires
If someone feels they have been discriminated against, for example during a job application process, then they could get the employer to fill in a statutory questionnaire. This is a document which can be used as evidence in any future tribunal cases. The employer does not have to respond but if they do not the court can take this into account in any future case.
You can download the statutory questionnaire for sexual orientation discrimination cases from:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file25460.pdf

Discrimination at Work? It’s so over. Stonewalls' plain language guide for employees. Please click on a link below for your free copy here.

Defending the Welfare State

The NPC is co-ordinating a major demonstration along with a number of trade unions, the BMA, RADAR (the disability group) and others in defence of the welfare state and public services on Saturday 10 April 2010 in central London.

Whilst there is still a considerable amount of organising to be done, it is vital that NPC regions and EC representatives begin to encourage large numbers of people to take part.To help, there are a number of resources we have produced:

1. An A5 flyer advertising the event is attached. 100,000 copies are being printed and will be available on request from next week.
2. A special website has been set up at www.10410demo.co.uk. In time this will contain all the information about the event, how to get there etc that people will need.
3. An online petition on the Number 10 website. This can be accessed here.

Please encourage as many supporters as possible to sign it in advance of the demo.

If you require any further information, don't hesitate to get in touch.

In the meantime, we must get the message across that this is THE opportunity for every pensioner to demonstrate on the key issues of pensions and care.

A copy of the flyer advertising the event can be seen here.

Hope Not Hate Strategy

The following has been recieved from Hope Not Hate.

"In the next few months the British National Party will be seeking to win control of its first council, gain dozens of new councillors and even its first Member of Parliament. If we’re going to stop them we’ll need to roll out our largest and most sophisticated campaign yet.

We’ll need to will mobilise thousands of people, raise money, distribute millions of pieces of literature, talk directly to voters in our key wards and harness new technology. It is going to be a tough fight but one, with your support, that we can win.

The BNP threat

The BNP is likely to contest over 200 parliamentary seats in the General Election and up to 1,000 council seats. The main threat is in Barking & Dagenham, where they could take overall control of the council, and Stoke-on-Trent, where they could become the largest single party – and we fear that Nick Griffin could win the parliamentary seat in Barking.

The HOPE not hate campaign has identified 102 council wards in 31 local authority areas that are at risk from the BNP. Just over half of these risk wards are in just 10 local authority areas. The concentration is even starker when one counts the most at risk wards. All but three of the 25 most at risk wards fall in 10 local authority areas, as do 38 of the 50 most at risk wards.The high risk local authorities, where the BNP pose a threat in multiple wards, are Barking & Dagenham, Stoke-on-Trent, Thurrock, Nuneaton, Sandwell, Amber Valley, Burnley, Barnsley, Rotherham and Leeds. But there are other areas, such as Wigan, Tameside and Bexley, where the BNP will be pushing strongly for the first time.

However, amidst the BNP threat we have an opportunity to roll them back. Over half of BNP councillors are up for re-election this May. That means that if we can run an effective campaign we can actually remove a large swathe of BNP representation in local government. It is going to be a hard fight but it is one that we can win.

Barking & Dagenham will be our national priority. We simply cannot allow the election of a BNP MP or for them to take control of the council. While we are massively increasing capacity in the local area we will be giving our supporters ways they can help.

To defeat the BNP we have devised our largest and most sophisticated campaign plan to date."

As you can see, Hope Not Hate are setting out their strategy for the forthcoming period and would like feedback from people as to what they are willing to do to support the campaign. They have prepared a short on-line survey for the collection of this information which can be accessed here.

Please take a moment or two to fill it in.

Adverse Weather and Flexi-time Credits

The following details have been supplied by the PCS DWP Group:

“DWP and CMEC Guidance

DWP and CMEC have basic guidance for serious disruption to public transport and extreme weather conditions under Standards of Behaviour and Flexible Working Hours Procedure.

Standards of Behaviour:

DWP Standards of Behaviour Procedures, Paragraph 38, states:

“38. In the case of travel disruptions or bad weather, you are expected to consider alternative transport options including walking if less than one hour’s walking distance, or secondly, to consider working from an office location closer to home, or from home if practicable. Consideration will be made for issues of diversity and equality, and for your health, safety and welfare.”

CMEC Standards of Behaviour Policy, Paragraph 31, states:

“31. In the case of travel disruptions or bad weather, you are expected to consider alternative transport options including walking if less than one hour’s walking distance or secondly, to consider working from an alternative Commission office closer to home, or from home if practicable. Consideration will be made for issues of diversity and equality, and for your health, safety and welfare.”

Flexible Working Hours Procedures
Both DWP and CMEC Flexible Working Hours Procedures have guidance under Paragraph 3.1 which tells managers to:

“Use discretion about requests for FWH credits for reasons such as serious disruption to public transport and extreme weather conditions”

Health, Safety and Welfare
Managers should give due regard to staffs’ health, safety and welfare, particularly those staff who, as a result of transport disruption, are walking long distances outside of daylight hours in order to attend for work. Managers will need to make use of local knowledge when making decisions regarding what is a reasonable time for staff to start their journey home. Relevant factors to take into account include the route to be taken and weather conditions.

Managers should also consider sympathetically requests for special leave which result from the possible wider effects of transport disruption, for example closure of schools or the breakdown of childcare arrangements.

All decisions must take full account of equal opportunities, family friendly policies and staff health, safety and welfare.”

Local Issues
Through out the holiday period and the cold weather the Branch has raised issues with the employer on the Norcross, Peel Park and Warbreck sites. We have undertaken Health and Safety inspections and have been concerned about the state of the footpaths, the site roads, car park and access and egress routes.

We had provided support and guidance to many members who have been in contact.

Unfortunately there have been serious accidents including fractured bones/ limbs. In these circumstances we have directed the member to the PCS Accident Claim procedures to take forward any appropriate compensation claims.

Although many line managers may have taken a sensible approach there have been occasions of frankly ludicrous and dangerous advice being given by the employer (such as abandoning young children to get into work, or driving 20 miles in the treacherous conditions to attend the Office).

We will continue to counter any nonsense of this kind.

Just Ageing Partners Report

‘Just ageing?’ outlines recommendations for tackling disadvantage in later life, please see the full article here on the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.

Challenges for 2010

What the Challenges are for 2010 for Civil Servants on the Fylde

The Civil Service (particularly the Department for Work and Pensions) is one of (if not the) largest employers on the Fylde Coast, however recent Ministerial figures indicate that there are now circa 5,000 DWP staff on the Fylde Coast. There used to be thousands more.

The main political parties appear to be drawing together a consensus that 2010 will witness an attack on Civil Service jobs, compensation payments for when people are forced out of work to be slashed, threatened attacks on Pensions and Pay.

The Financial crisis created by the Bankers and the Millionaire Class:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon Alistair Darling MP set out in his pre-budget statement fiscal measures to respond to the financial crisis created by the errors of the bankers and excesses of the millionaire class.

The measures attack the pay, pensions and conditions of the working class civil servant who had absolutely nothing to do with the errors of the bankers nor the excesses of the millionaire class.

We believe that the government should be focussing more on tackling the £100 billion plus of uncollected, evaded and avoided tax instead of talking about slashing public sector spending and capping public sector pay etc.

In essence the average low paid Civil Servant on the Fylde Coast is being asked to pay in terms of attacks on their Pay and Pensions for the excesses of the financial sector and the errors of the bankers. It’s a bit like Robin Hood but in reverse as the millions of working people have bailed out the millionaires and now are being asked again to pay for the errors of the bankers and their excesses. This will undoubtedly be an issue that the PCS in general and the Fylde Branch in particular will have to respond to in 2010.

Job Cuts in the Fylde and the attacks on the Civil Service Compensation Scheme:
In the Department for Work and Pensions it has been established that over two thousand one hundred jobs have already been cut on the Fylde. Once the worst of the bankers created recession is over then there could be attempts at a purge on Civil Service jobs.

Following from the recent unilateral attempt to impose changes to civil servants’ redundancy terms, it is clear that the government are preparing to cut more jobs on the cheap. The published proposals have not been agreed with the PCS.

The proposals include the following attacks:

• Slashed. The amount of compensation paid if you are made compulsory redundant.
• Chopped. The amount of money that may be offered on any exit scheme (including compulsory redundancy on voluntary basis)
• Axed. All the enhancements to any early retirement schemes that may be offered in the future will be axed.

It is clear that the Government are preparing to cut more jobs on the cheap. Cutting the compensation makes it cheaper to get rid of people. There is every likelihood of their being a ballot of the members in January 2010 for Campaigning Action to defend our conditions of service and jobs. (There is also concern about the standard of the jobs for those left after the job cuts. Due to attacks on Conditions of Service following the job cuts many of the posts are now of the call centre type).

Pay 2010: PCS have warned that capping pay would further undermine morale and entrench low pay in the civil service where 1 in 5 earn less than £15,000. Pay in the Civil Service (DWP) is lower than that of comparable jobs in the private sector with pay gaps of more than £5,000 between the civil service and private sector.

The Chancellor announced a new pay cap of 1 percent pay increases for the next three years in the Public Sector.

Pay cuts and pay freezes have been a common feature for civil servants as the Government has sought to drive down pay over the past few years, with all of the DWP staff receiving a 0% pay rise last year and 1% this year.

There has not been a golden decade of pay rises in the DWP with people getting on average a one percent pay rise over the past three years; however we are being asked to pay for the financial crisis none of which was our doing. Now to tell people that their pay rises are going to be capped at 1 percent for the next three years, making 6 years in total, is grossly unfair.

In reality, because of the fact that, uniquely in the Public Sector, pay progression in the Civil Service is costed out of Annual Pay rounds, this means negative pay rises, i.e. pay cuts of -1%, or alternatively no pay progression.

To explain this; without Pay progression, two people doing the same identical jobs, but one is paid up to £5,000 per annum less than the other, in perpetuity. Imagine if an MP was paid £5,000 per annum less than another in perpetuity, there would be uproar. Members will be undoubtedly very angry at those responsible for this injustice.

Pensions: Members will be concerned over moves to cap employer contributions to public sector pensions. Only two years ago the Government made a commitment to the public sector unions. This led to the closing of the Civil Service final salary schemes to new members and the introduction of a career average scheme (not based on final salary) as well as existing staff being able to continue in the scheme that they have been part of. There are five different Pensions Schemes now in existence in the Civil Service.

There are two myths about Civil Service Pensions. Firstly there is the one that the final salary schemes are still open. They are not. They closed to new members in 2007. Second is that the all Civil Servants are on gold plated pension. Far from being gold plated, the average civil service pension is £6,500. Pensions are deferred income not a lavish perk.

The question is does the Government want people to work until they are 80 (if they survive) whilst young people cannot find work? This is not a logical way to proceed.

Conclusion: The Branch will ensure that we play our full role in the Campaigning Action that is needed. In 2010 there will be a General Election and the Branch will be contacting the candidates to ask where they all stand on all the above issues and will provide assistance to members who may also wish to ask the candidates about such matters.

The Latest Bulletin for Members in DWP and CMEC.

The following has been provided by DWP Group:

Hundreds of Leeds refuse workers won an important victory this week – returning to work having accepted a significantly improved offer after 11 weeks of strike action. These low paid workers were initially threatened with significant pay cuts and the wholesale privatisation of their work without the option of an “in-house” bid. The settlement not only fought off the worst of the threatened pay cuts but also the threat of privatisation. These workers were sustained by significant support from the public and unions including PCS. Their success is significant for all public sector workers.

A Christmas Carol
Are you feeling Christmassy yet? No? Neither are Jobcentre Plus management. Clearly influenced by the release of Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” managers have written to some staff in Jobcentre Plus to say that this year staff in Jobcentre Plus will not receive the usual Christmas flexi credit of half a day for Christmas shopping or team lunches. Staff can be in no doubt that this is not a punishment because everyone right up to the Prime Minister has thanked JCP staff for their incredible hard work during the recession. No, this is not a punishment, it is evidence that JCP management are taking staff’s hard work and commitment for granted on a grand scale and it is a huge mistake on their part.

Dire visions of Christmas past
In Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Scrooge was warned to change his greedy ways. JCP management have taken staff for granted like this before and they have always come to regret it.DWP management not only benefit from staff goodwill at Christmas, our service to the public depends on staff goodwill all the year round.

Season of goodwill to all
All year we have received hollow “thanks” for our hard work. In the last couple of weeks management have trumpeted the success of the Department in gaining a whole host of awards for excellent service. Undoubtedly members in the whole of DWP and CMEC have played their part in supporting this country through the recession. Most DWP and CMEC staff will receive some small acknowledgment in the form of a Christmas flexi credit as usual. Some JCP staff will not. This is wrong. PCS are calling on management today to put it right.

Stop compulsory transfers
PCS representatives from all of the sites where members have recently been told that they are to be compulsorily transferred to CCD met together this week with the DWP Group Executive Committee to plan the next steps of their campaign.They were updated on how negotiations are going on preventing their compulsory transfer and keeping processing work at their sites.

Management must listen
The GEC are absolutely clear that negotiations with management can achieve the concessions that members and the public need – if management start listening to their own staff and their own managers in the BDC’s. PCS will be pressing home these points when they meet with the new JCP CEO next week.Reps at the meeting were also clear that members on the 15 sites are determined to do whatever it takes to get management to do the right thing for staff and customers.

Young Members Forum 2010

In February 2010 PCS will hold the fifth annual meeting of the young members' forum in the form of a conference. We are inviting PCS members aged 27 and under to attend.

Date: 5th Feb - 7th Feb (arrival Friday night only)
Venue: Britannia Hotel, Birmingham

Objectives
- Report on the progress and actions taken to promote the young members' charter.
- Develop plans for building and raising the profile of the network.
- Setting the 2010 agenda for organising, bargaining and campaigning.
- Announcement of candidates standing for national Chair, Vice Chair and Equalities Officer to the newly elected national young members committee.

Topics covered
- Organising and young members.
- Young members and the industrial agenda.
- Young members breaking into union structures.
- Building links with other organisations, social justice and the wider community - call centre campaign, youth networks in other trade unions, international solidarity campaigns.

Selection Process
There are a limited number of places for members to attend this conference and we have tried to develop a process that allows for fair representation of young members from the regional networks and branch activists. Therefore there are two ways you can be nominated to attend this conference.

1) Be nominated by your regional network as one of the regional delegates confirmed by the regional committee (please forward a copy of your application to the regional office)

2) Be nominated by your Branch to attend on their behalf.

Please complete the attached application form and return your nomination to the full time regional organiser in your region or to your branch for nomination to the national young members coordinating committee.

Conference arrangements
Accommodation for the event will be booked by PCS centrally so delegates do not need to arrange this but please indicate which days/nights you will be attending. A creche facility will be provided so again, please indicate on the form if you wish to use this.

To have your travel arrangements pre booked please tick the box on the registration form and a form will be sent to you to complete and send back. All food will be provided for the conference so if you have any special dietary requirements please specify them on the registration form attached.

If you have any questions please contact Tracy Edwards in the Organising & Learning Department on 020 7801 2691 or email.

More information will be sent to you regarding the agenda and travel and accommodation arrangements once you have been confirmed to attend.

Please RSVP by the 11th of December to Tracy Edwards, 160 Falcon Rd, London, SW11 2LN or email.

Shared Services Members’ Brief

The following has been supplied by DWP Group.

DCSF Launch
On 2 November DWP Shared Services took over work from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). This reflects moves across the civil service to brigade shared services operations. The DWP is recognised as a major player in this field and already undertakes work for the Cabinet Office. Other smaller departments are also seeking to transfer shared services operations to DWP. Although this move strengthens the position of DWP as a major provider of shared services across Whitehall, it means extra work with a negligible increase in staffing. PCS will monitor developments closely and would welcome feedback from branches on the impact of this change.

Customer Payments changes
Management have notified SSTUS of some major organisation changes affecting Customer Payments operations.

They plan to combine the recall and enquiry telephony work that is currently undertaken by the Bank Liaison Section (BLS) into the Customer Payment Contact Centre (CPC) activity at Runcorn.

To proceed, they intend to integrate the people and skills from the Bank Liaison Section with the Contact Centre.

Management will shortly be issuing information about a preference exercise to be undertaken within BLS to identify 10 FTE AOs and 1 EO who will move with the BLS telephony work into the Contact centre at Runcorn. In essence this will mean that instead of working in BLS, they will work in CPC, all of which is within Customer Payments. The BLS staff working from Runcorn who do not move with the telephony work will continue with backroom processing activities, as now.

PCS would welcome any feedback on this development.

Project ICE
Management informed the Departmental Trade Union Side recently of the above Project that is a HR Change project to establish a Complex Case Advisory Services Team.

This discrete team will sit in the Corporate Centre as part of the Employee Policy Centre of Expertise, i.e. not within Shared Services. It is intended to handle complex HR policy queries from DWP clients and manage complex casework that was previously carried out by HR Business Partners. The team will be located in four regional hubs – Sheffield, London, Newcastle and a site in the Northwest.

PCS are not convinced that this represents any improvement on current structures that could not be addressed by increased staffing and better training.

The project also indicated that it would mean a reduction in staffing in Level 2b in Sheffield as the new team takes over DWP casework. Management could not specify numbers. PCS oppose this reduction in an already overworked unit.

Overall PCS believes this project is ill thought out and merely adds another layer of bureaucracy rather than improving the service.

Feedback on any of the above issues should be directed initially through your branch to Dave Wilkinson or Paul Barton Group Assistant Secretary at Group Office in Leeds.

Civil Service Pension Delivery.
Members will have seen the recent announcement that DWP Shared Services is to take complete operational control of civil service pensions. A national review has been underway for some time and the recommendations were to establish control in one government department. DWP will take over all existing APAC sites. PCS will be meeting management next month to discuss the implications and also the role of the new Chief Operating Officer.

North West Regional Equality Officer’s Report

Report supplied by the Regional Equality Officer.

The Regional Equality Committee (REC) is due to meet on 1st December 2009.

Equality Monitoring Data.
As reported to the October Regional Committee (RC) within NW Jobcentre Plus reps have been actively pursuing the employer’s failure to provide TU side with equality monitoring data in relation to vacancy filling exercises.

We have explained that it is unacceptable for managers in the North West to state that they do not collate and hold such data. We have stated that they have a legal duty to obtain and analyse data in order to implement any changes to their procedures where discriminatory trends are identified. We also explained that there is a requirement to (equality) monitor all vacancy-filling exercises (not just recruitment and promotion) including preference exercises, selection exercises, transfers and use of temporary promotion).

JCP Regional Management was very reluctant to discuss these issues in an open employee relations forum and claimed not to understand the key issues. They offered to hold a separate meeting to discuss but have since advised that they need to check the policy and undertake research.

Clearly we will now have to give them the opportunity to respond prior to deciding on how to progress this fundamental equality matter.

Recommend: It would be helpful for other business unit trade union sides to advise the RC on what form of equality data is being shared with them.

Branch Equality Officer (BEO) Training.
I have had a meeting with the Equality Reps Project Officer and he advises that the PCS-specific BEO training course is due to be rolled out early in 2010. The intention is for this training to be modular-based in order that it can be adapted to an individual’s level of experience. To note.

National meeting of Regional Equality Reps.
The last meeting took place on 1st October and our Region was the only Region/nation to provide a written report on activities, and our report was well received. Main issues:

Equality reps.
The Group are in correspondence with DWP for more flexibility in reps training
EHRC report on Jobcentre Plus. The report found that JCP are failing to comply with their statutory duties. JCP to produce an action plan.

Equality Data.
The DWP has gathered and analysed equality monitoring data in the area of disciplinary action. The analysis demonstrates that ethnic minority staff are more than twice as likely to receive disciplinary action than white staff. Disabled staff are almost twice as likely to be dismissed as non-disabled staff. Ethnic minority staff are twice as likely to be dismissed as white staff.

Regional Equality Newsletter.
A holding newsletter was issued for the last quarter. The audience for the newsletter is reps rather than members.

PCS General Secretary Elections 2009

PCS has been transformed under Mark Serwotka’s leadership. It is a strong, united union, capable of defending members’ interests – a union to be proud of.

When staffing was being cut in DWP, the nationally agreed cabinet office protocols prevented a single compulsory redundancy. When the recession began, Mark helped to keep DWP in the headlines, strengthening our arguments for the additional staffing we needed.

Mark has been a strong and articulate advocate for members within the DWP, speaking at meetings with Ministers and supporting the Group Executive Committee in campaigns and negotiations. He has also spoken at hundreds of meetings with members across the country, enthusing them to take action and giving them confidence that together we can win with the support of colleagues and the wider union.

He has also spoken up for DWP members through the press and media, countering the negative perception of civil servants and answering the attacks of politicians. Mark has given clear leadership in a number of campaigns; over pay; pensions; job security and now over the compensation scheme. Mark is also the recognisable, public face of our union and has led from the front our defence of public services.

Mark was an AO in a benefits office for over twenty years. A low paid worker and a PCS rep and he has never forgotten that. Mark’s support for PCS members could not be bettered and his re-election is vital if we are to secure the gains we need to improve our working lives.

We need leaders with commitment, credibility, experience and a track record of delivery. Mark has demonstrated he has the interests of DWP members at heart and can deliver agreements which protect our jobs, conditions and communities.