The following details have been supplied by the PCS HQ:
Anger towards the government was shown in a demonstration against the superannuation bill, which seeks to cap redundancy payments for civil and public servants.
There has been wide criticism of the way the government has introduced the bill, the most important for PCS members in the past decade, which had its second reading on 7 September.
More than 60 PCS reps and members from the Ministry of Defence, Land Registry, communities and local government descended on parliament to protest against the changes.
The demonstration expressed anger about how the government has sought to undermine the High Court ruling and negotiations on a new scheme. It is rushing through new legislation to coerce the unions into agreeing a new deal which is worse for members.
MPs from our parliamentary group supported the protest, including Katy Clark MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, John McDonnell, group chair and MP for Hayes and Harlington, and Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion.
Members and Reps should be proud
PCS members should be proud of their achievements throughout the summer as every MP was contacted about the bill regardless of whether they supported us. This happened through the e-action on the PCS website and by members lobbying locally.
Almost every MP mentioned PCS members’ lobbying in their contribution and many held the evidence up as they spoke. Most MPs also commended the hard work and commitment of civil and public servants.
Labour
Deputy General secretary Hugh Lanning led discussions with the opposition front bench throughout the summer on opposing the bill when it reached parliament. These discussions were also held with the other Council of Civil Service unions and all parties agreed to table a reasoned amendment which would block the bill’s second reading.
To ensure the amendment gained enough support we wrote to MPs from Labour, the minority parties and also Liberal Democrats. We also changed the e-action to focus on opposing the second reading of the bill and encouraged reps and members to send this extra action to their MPs.
Sadly the reasoned amendment was defeated by 89 votes – 329 MPs did not agree with it while 240 MPs supported it. The bill was then put to the house and MPs voted on whether they agreed that it should be read a second time, again we lost by 85 votes – 326 MPs voted the bill had been read a second time while 244 MPs disagreed.
The following week the bill entered its committee stage when PCS witnesses were called along with some union members who will be disadvantaged by the proposals. This month the bill returns to the full chamber of the Commons for its report stage and third reading. This allows us to further amend the bill and we are in discussions with our parliamentary group.
John McDonnell has been confirmed as a member of the bill committee and other supportive MPs may assist in opposing the government’s draconian proposals.
