Members of the Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS) will be taking further strike action on 1st May 2007, International Workers' Day, in the continuing campaign to save jobs, defend pay and protect services offered to the general public.
This strike is being forced on the PCS due to the anger amongst public sector workers at the government's continued cuts and privatisation agenda. This is being exacerbated by Gordon Brown's disgraceful attacks on public sector pay.
During his recent budget he announced a determination to keep public sector pay to a below inflation rise of 2%. This will, in affect, mean a pay cut for PCS members, who are already some of the worst paid workers in the public sector with staff in the lower grades taking home under the threshold of £14, 000. He also made it clear that there will be more privatisation and outsourcing of work. With consultants charging anything from £930 per day, more than twenty times the salary paid to a civil servant, this is not a saving. But the chancellor can say he is not employing so many civil servants!
The continued privatisation of services and job cuts will lead to an increased workload for those left in offices and this in turn will add to the already high stress levels amongst civil servants. This is why it is important for all PCS members to strike on 1st May and support the overtime ban from 2nd to 15th May. Taking this strike action will increase the pressure on the government. It will make it clear that PCS members are united in their determination to defend jobs, pay, conditions and the vital services we deliver.
PCS members are also voting in the election of the unions National Executive Committee and it is important members use their vote to ensure we keep a left NEC who is prepared to lead the fight against the attacks being made by the government on workers in the civil service. Members should therefore vote for the Left Unity canidates in these elections.
