VOTE NOW

Ballot papers should now be arriving.


Vote YES YES to start the fightback.

It only takes one MP or manager to attack our members.

We shall fight back in our thousands.

- Posted from my iPhone

Vote Yes for the Alternative

PCS Conference voted to go ahead with a ballot for action in defence of jobs, pay & pensions.

You will get your ballot paper by the end of the week.

Go to your site meeting (see your site rep for details), read the PCS web site & vote YES, YES.

VOTE YES FOR THE ALTERNATIVE

- Posted from my iPhone

End of Conference

Kevin McHugh gave the vote of thanks & conference is over for another year.

The hard work begins as we build support for a massive yes vote in our strike.

Together we can win.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Guillotine Section Results

All motions were carried.

Motion A540
This motion calls for support for members transferred to NDPBs & to oppose any further transfers.

Motion A53
This motion calls for a campaign against fuel poverty.

Motion A128
This motion calls for our electoral systems to be reviewed to try & increase participation.

Motion A548
This motion calls for PCS to work with the Welsh Assembly & Scottish Parliament to try & fight cuts.

Motion A84
This motions calls for the reinstatement of the Civil Service Appeal Board.

Motion A20
This motion calls for further protection for members under secondary TUPE transfers.

Motion A138
This motion calls for solidarity for public sector workers in Wisconsin.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Guillotine Section

I'll report back as before when I have time to catch up.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A142

This motion calls for a ballot of all members to allow PCS in exceptional circumstances to stand candidates in elections.

The mandating meeting agreed to vote in favour so our delegation did so.

The motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A141

This motion calls On the TUC to co-ordinate campaigns & action & to pursue joint agreements with other unions.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Len McCluskey

The General Secretary of Britain's largest union, Unite, addressed the conference.

The accord between PCS & Unite was signed in front of conference.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A137

This motion calls for a campaign of opposition to public sector cuts in Cuba.

This motion was remitted as it was not believed to be an accurate representation of the situation in Cuba.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A135, A544 & A136

Motion A135 calls for support of the Tunisian uprising, motion A544 calls for opposition to military intervention in Libya & motion A136 calls for continued support for Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

All 3 motions were carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A552 & A131

Motion A552 & A131 call for continued affiliation to & disaffiliation from Abortion Rights Campaign.

Motion A552 was carried so motion A131 fell.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A130

This motion calls for affiliation to Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC).

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Conference Friday

Delegates drag themselves in.

The West Pier looking bleakly beautiful in the bright morning sunshine.


Time for business.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A122

This motion calls for a review of the branch delegation formula at group & national conference, future venue & conference arrangements.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A121

This motion calls for time off for trade union speakers in schools as part of the government's citizenship agenda.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A120

This motion calls for structures to be set up by the NEC to defend victimised reps.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motions A118 & A119

Motion A118 calls for the NEC to create a new civil service trade union co-ordinating body to replace CCSU.

Motion A119 criticises the NEC for not explaining or consulting about the abolition.

PCS withdrew from CCSU after going into negotiations about the changes to CSCS. At the pre-meeting a common line was agreed to oppose the changes but at the meeting it became clear that the other unions had agreed to the changes behind the back of PCS.

From that moment there was no further prospect of CCSU continuing.

Motion A118 was carried so A119 fell.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Organising Strategy

The strategy was launched.

It is obviously crucial that we maximise our membership & educate them for the struggle to come.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

John McDonnell MP

The chair of the PCS Parliamentary Group gave his usual rousing speech.


Inspiring stuff & a standing ovation.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A116

This motion calls for opposition to outsourcing the Walking for Health to the voluntary sector.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A115

This motion calls for opposition to the privatisation of National Nature Reserves by Natural England.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A114

This motion calls for a subsidy of the Green Deal so that people pay only for installation.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A103

This motion calls for a system of reallocating votes when a candidate has already been elected to another position.

It allows people to stand for several positions & could get extremely complicated.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A102

This motion calls for all branches to have a minimum of 2 delegates.

This would give smaller branches a very disproportionate voice.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A101

This motion calls for higher numbers of delegates to conference.

Unless we lose our campaign against job losses we would not be able to find a UK venue large enough & it could increase the cost of conference considerably.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A97

This motion calls for moving to maximum of pay scales after one year.

Some members in other departments already get max from day one of employment so PCS would have to campaign to stop this if the motion was carried.

For this reason the motion was remitted.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A96

The pay freeze applies to staff earning over £21,000 which is pro rata for part-time staff.

This motion calls for this not to apply which would result in part-time staff earning a higher hourly rate than full-time staff & maybe, in time, could mean earning the same as full-time staff for doing fewer hours.

The motion was remitted.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A95

This motion calls for renewal of a London pay claim.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A94

This motion calls for an end to the pay freeze, where possible in a cross public sector campaign.

It also calls for an end to bonuses & for national pay.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A541

This motion calls for opposition to a change to CSCS which changes the cap on inefficiency compensation from 2 to 1 year.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A83

This motion calls for all bargaining groups affected by job cuts to have active campaigning strategies & that campaigns are co-ordinated.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A82

This motion seeks to ensure that equality is properly considered when Next Generation HR formulate policy across all departments.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A384

This motion calls for any general HR policies to be supplemented by negotiated details & not left to local managers to make up.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A81

This motion calls for opposition to changes brought in through Next Generation HR & to establish consultation mechanisms with NGHR.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Distinguished Life Membership part 2

Some more DLMs were presented.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A547

This motion calls for support for workers locked out at the BP/Vivergo bio-fuel plant at Saltend, Hull.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motions A50 & A51

Motion A50 calls for opposition to anti-trade union laws & A51 calls for further rights for trade unions.

Both motions were discussed together & both were carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A49

This motion calls for a ban on kettling, a tactic used by police during protests to keep demonstrators in one place, often for hours on end with no recourse to refreshments, toilets or medical care.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A546

This motion calls on changes to tax on redundancy payments to be reversed, as the change means more tax is deducted which will be due as a refund at the end of the tax year.

This motion was carried

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A48

This motion calls for PCS to continue campaigning against the BNP & EDL.

This is particularly important given the activities of the BNP & EDL in Leicestershire. Maybe UKIP should be included given statements made by their candidate in the recent Leicester South by election.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A46

This motion calls for a defence of the right to demonstrate & to support the Defend the Right to Protest campaign.

The motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A45

This motion calls for further support for young members & youth campaigns such as joint union/student campaigns, etc.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A545

This motion calls for opposition to the "bonfire of red tape" which is actually an attack on workers rights by reducing health & safety protection, making it easier & cheaper to sack staff, discriminate against minorities & reduce pay & conditions.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A44

This motion calls for opposition to a harsher sanctions regime as it unduly stigmatises customers & puts our members at risk.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Conference Thursday

Here's an arty picture of the conference hall.


The problem is when I think that this is more coherent than what I can see in front of me.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

End of Day One

Some slightly bizarre votes later in the day but the first motion of the day is key to the strategy in the next few months.

I'll be back tomorrow.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A37

This motion calls for a national voluntary levy to increase hardship funds.

There was opposition as some people (wrongly) thought it was mandatory & some other people thought it sounded too much like hard work.

Our delegation voted in favour.

This motion also went to a count.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A36

This motion calls for an increase in subs to 1% & the abolition of the cap which means there is a maximum amount of subs that anyone will pay.

This seems a big increase from 0.6% with a 2 year pay freeze following 3% over 3 years.

Remission was called for as some delegates were in favour of removing the cap but not the increase.

Our delegation believed that remission would not achieve this & the motion should be rejected altogether.

The remission went to a counted vote. I'll update this entry when the numbers are in.

UPDATE
Remission was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Financial Report

My original entry has been censored. I got cross about the branch finances.

The branch is drastically underfinanced which limits our ability to campaign, recruit & defend our members.

We will try to buttonhole someone from finance before conference is over.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Communication Awards

These awards are made for newsletters, web sites, etc.

Sadly, this blog didn't win a prize.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A35

This motion calls for TUPE law (which protects pay & conditions when work moves from one employer to another) to apply to non EU countries as well as EU countries.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A34

This motion calls for Living Wage rates and Fair Pensions in the commercial sector.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A33

This motion calls for reserved places on the NEC for commercial sector members.

This motion was remitted as the NEC are moving a motion later in conference to review the make-up of the NEC.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A32

This motion calls for improved recruitment, training & organisation of commercial sector members.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A551

This calls for the Health & Safety Executive to be properly funded & to oppose cuts to their service.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Distinguished Life Membership

DLMs were agreed & awarded to those agreed last year.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A27

This motion calls for Welsh speakers to be a separate group for equality monitoring & a guaranteed seat on Welsh committee.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A26

A legal case found that a person who became disabled should have been given suitable duties if no reasonable adjustments could be made to their current manual job.

The motion calls for this principle to be fully implemented in the civil service.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A25

This calls for the reversal of the policy of the National Blood Service to refuse blood donation from men who have ever had sex with men.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A24

This motion calls for facility time for equality reps.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A23

This motion calls for equalities duties to be used to help fight cuts.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A22 & A265

The duty to consider impacts of policy on people from poor backgrounds has been removed from the Equality Act.

The motions call for reversal of this & to develop a way to monitor data.

Both motions were carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A543

This motion calls for added years on pensions to be updated in line with RPI, not CPI.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A19

This motion calls for support for members who will be made redundant as a result of the MyCSP privatisation, but who are not being allowed to seek other civil service jobs.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A17

This motion calls for reversal of the privatisation of MyCSP.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A16

This motion calls for a defence of our pensions by a legal challenge, building a public sector alliance & industrial action.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A7

This motion calls for the DWP Contact Centre campaign to be extended to the rest of PCS.

This motion was carried

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motions A2 & A3

These motions call for additional actions to oppose cuts such as tax justice campaigns, supporting anti cuts organisations, etc.

Both motions were carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion A520

This motion calls for a ballot on strike action in defence of jobs, pensions & pay.

This is the most important motion of the whole week as it will enable PCS to take co-ordinated action with teachers & lecturers unions in June & with some even larger public sector unions after that.

The supporting emergency motion which we carried unanimously at our mandating meeting forms part of this motion & our delegation are fully committed to the terms of the motion.

This motion was carried overwhelmingly to a massive ovation.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Mark Serwotka

Mark Serwotka in an inspiring speech sets the tone for conference.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

National Conference 2011

We start even earlier & conference is huge.


Our President, Janice Godrich, opens conference.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

End of DWP Conference

The vote of thanks & closing remarks completed conference.

I am now fed & watered and need to prepare for national conference tomorrow.

I'll be back in the morning.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Guillotine Section results

Here's the motions heard in the last half an hour of business at DWP Conference.

All motions were carried unless otherwise noted.

Motion A310
This motion calls for menopause related sick absences to be disregarded.

Motion A315
This motion calls for cancer related sick absences to be disregarded.

Motion A324
This motion calls for injury leave to apply when staff are on premises but have not arrived at their office. This motion was remitted as it calls for some changes to pensions policy that can only be amended at national level.

Motion A259
This motion calls on Access to Work management to regularly meet with PCS.

Motion A156
This motion aims to achieve improvements to the flexi time policy.

Motion A165
This motion calls for FTAs to have the right to a face to face hearing where there was a selection exercise.

Motion A167
This motion calls for opposition to benchmarks & PIPs.

Motion A175
This motion calls for more sympathetic use of flexi credits during periods of adverse weather.

Motion A309
This motion calls for attendance management decisions to be made by line managers without interference by more senior managers.

Motion A215
This motion calls for job security for band As.

Motion A190
This motion calls for all changes to be subject to Equality Impact Assessments.

Motion A76
This motion calls for the removal of anomalies that disadvantage part time workers who work extra hours at management's request.

Motion A77
This motion calls for a campaign to move from min to max of the pay scale in 3 years. This motion was lost as the pay bid has already called for progression for band A-C in only 2 years.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

The Guillotine Section

This section is for motions which did not have time to be heard.

These motions are normally formally moved & I won't keep up so I'll update them all at the end.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A224

This motion calls for more timely advice in tribunal cases.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A222

This motion calls for enhanced & easier access to legal representation to combat advice from HR Complex Case Advisory Service.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion 220

This motion calls for PCS to appoint a lead for the subject of security at all levels of the union.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A219

This motion calls on the GEC to issue guidance to branches & regions on how to resist management attempts to force mergers to shadow management changes.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A218

This motion calls for Fraud specific recruitment material, members network & advisory committee.

This is important because of the changes to FIS recently announced.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A217

This motion calls for organising & recruitment to remain a priority in the DWP Group.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A86

This motion calls for Trillium to reinstate the guidance that temperatures should be between 21 & 23C & for a legal maximum temperature.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A85

This motion seeks to protect CMEC members from abuse, intimidation & incitement to harm our members from social networking sites, such as CSA Hell.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A185

This motion calls for mandatory facilitated equality & diversity learning.

Our delegation supported the motion as it is right to do so, and it may also keep me in a job.

The motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A306

This motion calls for a list of attendance management demands & a call for industrial action if not agreed.

Opposition was expressed as a separate ballot is both confusing & unnecessary when we ballot for national action if the motion at National Conference is carried tomorrow.

The age specific consideration point could be unlawful & divisive.

This motion was lost.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 25

This motion calls for a campaign for improvements to attendance management & to change the negative changes recently introduced.

This motion was seconded by Martin Foreman from the Leicester Pensions branch.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A288

This motion was seconded by Alan Groves for our branch.


This motion calls for the maintenance of extended consideration points for staff with disabilities & long term health conditions.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Guest Speaker from NIPSA

A guest speaker, Maria Morgan, the President from our sister union NIPSA that represents civil servants in Northern Ireland is first up after lunch.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A154

This motion calls for DWP increase & maintain support for nurseries and play schemes.

As the branch is a staunch supporter of Leicester Civil Service Holiday & would fight against any attempts to close it, we supported this motion.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A153

This motion calls for better access to family friendly policies such as working patterns & part-time work.

There was opposition as a review could result in part-time staff being asked to change their contracts.

Our delegation voted in favour as staff cannot be forced to change their contracts.

The vote was carried, but again very close.

Yet another card vote was held.

I will update this post when the result is in.

UPDATE
The motion was lost on the card vote.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A152

This motion calls on line managers to have the authority to make decisions on issues such as special leave without interference from more senior managers.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A151

This motion calls for HR decision making to be monitored & improved.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A149

This motion calls for grievance & appeal rights to be protected & for guidance to be issued to members & reps.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A132

This motion was proposed by Martin Foreman of Leicester Pensions Branch & was also supported by our branch at the AGM.


This motion calls for disciplinary policy to be corrective rather than punitive.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A118

This motion calls for pay & conditions in CMEC to be brought into line with the rest of DWP.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A116

This motion calls for consistency in disciplinary penalties when staff are found guilty of bullying.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 9

This motion calls for DWP to adhere to the law & standards of behaviour when pursuing disciplinary action. It also calls for DWP not to publicise cases which could identify individuals.

The motion was remitted as the instruction in one bullet point could result in members being disciplined for breaches of confidentiality.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A113

This motion calls for PCS e-mail addresses to be designated as secure in the same way as gsi addresses.

This would prevent disciplinary action being taken against reps seeking advice on personal cases.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 8

This motion calls for policy changes so that the norm for mistakes which breach security should be minor misconduct only.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A75

This motion calls for the qualifying date for bonus payments to change from July to April.

This was opposed as we should be against all bonuses.

Our delegation voted against as the change only affects those staff who leave between April & July AND who got a box 1 marking (about 2.7% last year). There would also be an argument for management to settle on a bonus pot before the pay settlement so we could not minimise the bonus amount. And the real unfairness where contracts are ended before the qualifying date would still occur, just in March rather than June.

The count of hands resulted in a tie!

A card vote is being counted. I will update this entry when the result is in.

UPDATE
The motion was carried on the card vote.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A58

This motion calls for smashing the pay freeze & to abolish bonuses.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

DWP Conference 2011 day 2

Day breaks over Brighton & we are up bright & early for day 2


The large box in the foreground is our delegation's accommodation for the week.

Updates on motions will follow.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Left Unity Fringe Meeting

We attended a meeting after conference featuring Mark Serwotka & Jane Aitchison.


The meeting was rammed.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Life Memberships

Proposals for life membership of PCS & presentation of awards to people nominated last year bring the first day of DWP Conference to an end.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A275

This motion calls for the end of the Contact Centre summer/festive/Easter plans which cancel (often at short notice) leave, training & TU facilities during periods of higher leave.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A273

This motion calls on the GEC to publicise the direct link between LEAN & job cuts.

This motion was carried

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 21

This motion calls for opposition to downgrading of the initial NJI to band B.

This could lead to widespread downgrading & make promotion even less likely.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 20

This motion calls for a campaign to prevent delegated flexibilities being rolled out.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A270

This motion calls for the elimination of the job submissions target for Contact Centre First Contact CS Agents.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A265

This motion calls for a campaign against the Stricter Benefit Regime(SBR), particularly where it is targeted at disabled people, & other minorities.

It also calls for opposition to targets for SBR.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A263

This motion calls for opposition to benchmarks & for guidance on Active Operational Management.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A191

This motion calls for FTAs to be made permanent.

It also calls for further recruitment as management have already increased benchmarks so that the staff who are left can still do the work that needs to be done.

This motion has gone to a card vote as some people wanted a later motion supported.

I'll update this post when the result is in.

UPDATE
The motion was narrowly carried.



- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Guest Speaker

Mark Serwotka delivered an inspiring address.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Emergency Motion 16

This motion calls for a new, improved Employee Relations Framework.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A245

This motion calls for the restrictions on CMEC reps not being allowed to represent members in other parts of DWP & to bring facilities up to the level in the rest of DWP.

This motion was carried.

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A48

This motion calls for Social Fund to stay part of DWP & to expose the inadequacies of the benefit system that leaves many dependant of SF loans & charities.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A46

This motion calls for a campaign to undertake a proper review of DLA rather than just replace it with PIP to save money.

This motion was carried

- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A38

This motion calls for a campaign against the green paper, The Future of Child Maintenance.

The green paper proposals are an attack on both child maintenance & our members jobs.

This motion was carried.


- Posted from PCS Conference 2011

Motion A30

The first motion after lunch calls for a campaign against harsher sanctions which victimise customers & put our members at risk.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Emergency Motion 4

This motion calls for opposition to downgrading of decision making work in PDCS.

This motion was carried.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Emergency Motion 10

This motion calls for CMEC to remain in the Civil Service & to oppose charges & privatisation.

Child support should be about lifting children out of poverty not making money for a private company.

This motion was carried.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motion A182

This motion calls for the Telereal Trillium contract for estates management to be renegotiated or scrapped & the service brought back in house.

DWP currently pays them £782 million.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Emergency Motion 5

This motion calls for further strike action if management refuse to negotiate on the Contact Centre dispute, either with or without ACAS.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motion A181

This motion calls for Shared Services to remain in house rather than being part- or fully- privatised.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motion A22

This motion calls for the retention of The Pensions Service Local service.

Not all pensioners can access services on-line!

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Emergency Motion 2

This motion calls for opposition to the swingeing cuts on the corporate centre.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Emergency Motion 1

This motion calls for opposition to the BC & CC office closures announced last Friday up to & including industrial action.

This motion was carried.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Motion A1

This motion calls for opposition to cuts in DWP jobs & services, including making FTAs permanent.

It calls on members to get involved in anti-cuts campaigns; something this branch can proudly support, having been instrumental in setting up Leicestershire Against the Cuts.

This motion was carried.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday 09:30

The Group President introduces the conference.


The picture makes it look a long way away but we are on the front row in the middle.

Posts about motions will follow, mostly in text only.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

09:13

The paper sellers & leafletters are out in force.


Given recent developments, there are a record number of Emergency Motions.

We are all set & ready to go.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

March for the Cuts

So people were marching in support of cuts today.


There were about 350, but the March for the Alternative had 500,000. That is nearly 1500 times more people marching against cuts than in favour.

We are many; they are few. We can win this fight.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Leicester May Day March

Today is May 1, International Workers Day.

Yesterday Leicester & District Trades Union Council organised a March & rally.





We set off from Victoria Park & marched down London Road to the clock tower.


There were various speakers including PCS Deputy President Dave Bean...


... & our very own Tony Church speaking for Leicestershire Against the Cuts.


Use the Leicester & District Trades Union Council link to check out more pictures & reports.

Hasta la victoria, siempre!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone