Why I am asking for you to support me in the PCS GEC election?

Why I am asking for you to support me in the R&C Group Executive Committee election?

I am standing in this election for the GEC as a Socialist and Member of Left Unity, along with like-minded colleagues on a shared platform of defend jobs and conditions in HMRC. I am prepared to argue for a new approach in response to the many threats we now face.

Having worked for the Department for nearly 33 years and been active in the Union for the majority of that time, but have never seen the scale of threats in all of this time. The morale amongst members is at an all-time low – brought on by the pay freeze, a constant fear for job security and pensions - the savage increases in pension contributions – reduction in the value of pensions and being forced to work to 68 or until  you drop.

When I first joined the Civil Service, it was understood that although the pay was less than elsewhere - you would get a good pension and terms & conditions. But this “deal” is being reduced on an almost daily basis. But at the same time the Department still demands the same loyalty and expects all the old Civil Services values which are to their benefit.

It is scandalous that the perception of civil servants as privileged, overpaid  with almost complete job security is being fed to the media by the our employer, the Government.  Following two newspaper articles about CS privilege days, the Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has embarked on a crusade against allowing us the Maundy Thursday 1/2 day and the Xmas privilege day.

This is of course the same Francis Maude who in March 2012 responding to a threat of action by fuel tanker drivers, advised the public to fill up gerry cans and store fuel in their garages.  In 2009 the Fees Office rejected his claim for mortgage interest on his Sussex home. Also he had purchased a flat in London, close to another house he already owned he rented out this house and claimed £35K mortgage interest on the flat. According to the Legg Report, he was not asked to payback any of the money he had claimed.

What we are facing is the old ideological animosity from the Conservatives against public sector workers and their trade unions.  The Public Services be they elements of HMRC or the NHS represent potential rich picking for the Tories’ friends in out sourcing companies and the private equity sector. Austerity policies and the need to reduce national debt, have allowed the Coalition Government the excuse to settle old scores with unions like PCS. 

It has been reported that the Government will single out the PCS for special treatment for being too “militant”! Hence we see the vicious attacks on facilities time for or reps and ending the collection of union subs via the payroll. These attacks are small minded and vindictive.

Of all the current attacks, I would point to the changes to the performance management system, under the Civil Service Employee Policy  - CSEP – being led by the Cabinet Office. Hardly anyone will be shocked by the fact that there have been no negotiations with PCS over the changes. Managers in the department are being told that box markings must be divided up on the basis of:

• Exceeded 20% of staff
• Achieved 70% of staff
• Must improve 10% of staff

Clearly this will introduce a culture of a management by fear. Our members who are managers will be forced to implement this system under the threat of being given “must improve” themselves.  I wonder how the 10% of staff will be calculated. Is this why 2 senior members of Excom have recently left to take up private sector jobs?

In the USA, this quota system is known as “stack ranking”. In an article – Microsoft’s Lost Decade- in Vanity Fair magazine, the journalist Kurt Eichenwald said “Every current and former Microsoft employee – every one – cited stack ranking as the most destructive process inside of Microsoft, something that drove out untold numbers of employees” and “it leads to employees focusing on competing with each other rather than competing with other companies”.  How typical is it of HMRC to adopt a management system that has already been discredited elsewhere in the world?

What should we do in response?

I urge all colleagues to vote Yes/Yes in the current ballot for industrial action. It is not an easy decision for any member to take action when our standard of living is diminishing almost week by week. But then if we do not take a stand, we will without doubt be subjected to worse terms & conditions, have our pensions further raided and have to suffer the indignity of unending pay restraint.

If elected to the GEC, I would strongly argue for selective action that frustrates the employer and does not immediately hit the pockets of PCS members. In my Branch, we are making a call for non-co-operation with performance management system from the outset.  Targeted action is a more contentious issue but is one that PCS must fully explore.  

PCS has had success with selective action in several areas in the Civil Service recently – proposals in the DVLA to issue compulsory redundancies as part of the agency’s plans to cut staff were halted and in the DWP 46 jobs were saved by the PCS holding a ballot for industrial action. Last year, in HMRC the continued action over privatisation in the call centres and sickness absence policy, resulted the enabling agreement which led to FTA staff being given permanent contracts.

I think it is the job of the PCS to bring back the membership from the lowest ebb that I can remember. If we stand together united, and back the action, then we can win on all the threats we currently face.