Happy New Year

Last year was a hard struggle for the whole trade union movement including us.

We had below inflation pay rises made even more miserly by increases in our pension contributions, more and more changes to bring in and fewer staff to do the job.

The new year promises more of the same but with a worse pension scheme, even more radical changes and the threat of large job losses just over the horizon.

The change from a Benefit Centre to a CMG Centre with only a fairly short term future is particularly worrying as is the impact of Universal Credit on the future of WSD.  The people in the branch who currently don't work for BCD or WSD can take little comfort as there are huge changes everywhere to FIS, DWP Visits, CMG court presenting, OED, etc.  On top of all this there are further changes to our terms and conditions and attacks on the time available for PCS reps to represent people.

As a union PCS has fought back.  We have had some wins in knocking back some of the worst changes to terms and conditions and have many wins on personal cases, particularly over People Performance end of year markings.

It's not going to be easy but we cannot just lie down and surrender and together we can win if we only realise how strong we are.

Rise like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number -
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you
Ye are many - they are few

Percy Bysshe Shelley