The PCS DWP Group Executive Committee (GEC) met on the 27th September and agreed to recommend that all PCS members in the DWP do not fill in the staff survey and do not complete it.
PCS colleagues in the HMRC are also being asked to boycott the staff survey.
Completion of the staff survey is entirely voluntary. Talk to your PCS rep or email leeds@pcs.org.uk if you are put under any pressure to complete it.
Management misuse past surveys
This decision was taken because it has become clear to PCS that management pick and choose the results of the staff survey to bring in detrimental policies such as the hated and discredited performance system. For instance management have justified the ‘must improve’ category in the people performance policy and the increase in the use of ‘Performance Improvement Plans’ (PIPs) from the results of the survey is previous years. Yet the truth is that only a small minority of staff completing previous staff surveys support these hated policies.
Management do not listen
The GEC recognises that some members feel the staff survey is an opportunity to express their view to management. In the past PCS has encouraged members to complete the survey. But the GEC believes that the survey has been manipulated to bring about poorer working conditions and should therefore now be boycotted.
It is a fact that all previous staff surveys have found that a large proportion of staff have no faith in senior managers. Management have done nothing about this. Staff are the most valued resource DWP has and their views should be listened to and acted on.
A clear message must be sent to DWP management that we have had enough of lip service being paid to the views of staff.
We need more staff not more pressure
The performance management system is being used to put unrealistic pressure on PCS members to meet targets despite cuts in staff numbers, whilst the DWP claim that employment levels are increasing and workloads are dropping. We know this is nonsense.
The DWP has cut over 20,000 staff since 2010. PCS believes there is a staffing crisis in the DWP and for that reason has submitted a staffing claim to the department to return to 2010 staffing levels. PCS members should not face continuing pressure and unrealistic targets because of the drive to cut public spending and services.
Don’t undermine negotiations
Over the summer PCS has been consulting our members and reps on our national campaign. It is quite clear from those meetings that job security, low pay and attacks on terms and conditions are what concern you.
PCS will continue to demand that the Government talk to the union at a national central level to deal with these issues. The staff survey will not win us better pay and conditions.
In the DWP over 75% of staff are members of PCS. Management know we are strong campaigning union. We are stronger when we speak with one voice. Don’t let management keep using the staff survey to undermine proper negotiations.
Say no to management pressure
It was reported to the GEC that management this year are being particularly pro-active in trying to get staff to complete the staff survey. Local management are using scare tactics such as claiming that offices will be under threat of closure if it does not get good results in the staff survey. This is not true.
The staff survey is voluntary
Remember - the staff survey is voluntary and no-one should be put under any pressure to complete it.
If you are feel coerced or in any way forced to complete you should immediately tell your PCS rep or email leeds@pcs.org.uk.
Stick together
By not completing the staff survey PCS members working in the DWP will be sending a clear message to DWP management that:
- You have had enough of the manipulation of the staff survey for detrimental change
- You will not be pressured into filling in a survey that gets misused and does not solve the key issues affecting you.
Derek Thomson, Group Organiser
Charles Law, Industrial Officer
