DWP Group Fylde Veterans’ Agency

Central Benefits and National Branch

Services
Room 7233 Branch Room 6117 Tomlinson House
Norcross Norcross
Public and
Ext: 63484/62881 Commercial
Ext: 63909
Services Union
Chair: Martin Jones Chair: Andy Boylan
Secretary: Duncan Griffiths Joint Branch Circular Secretary: Ian Melvin

To all members of Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)

Fylde Central Benefits and Services and Veteran’s Agency National Branches
November 2009
Dear Colleagues

ELECTION OF THE PCS GENERAL SECRETARY

If your Ballot Paper goes to your home address, please take this document home with you!
From 19th November 2009 members should begin to receive their ballot papers for the forthcoming
PCS General Secretary Election.
The last few years have made a big difference at the top of the union, and we have no hesitation
in calling on members to re-elect the current General Secretary, Mark Serwotka.
A few years ago members from disparate points of view from the Left Unity Group and the PCS
Democrats Group came together to form a broad ‘Democracy’ coalition in order to undo years of
damage done by the Right Wing and misnamed ‘National Moderate Group’ whose control of the
former CPSA, and for one year in PCS resulted in the unlawful attempt at a “coup” and the attempt
to sack the Elected General Secretary Mark Serwotka. They also tried to frustrate both
Conference decisions and Membership ballot decisions. To hide their shameful past they have
changed their name to “4 the members”. Do not be fooled, they haven’t changed much and still
have not put forward a single proposal to improve your pay and conditions.
The antics of Barry Reamsbottom’s acolytes should never be forgotten, but the Union must now
look forward.
This is why the Branch Extraordinary General Meeting and Branch Executive Committee
recommend that you vote for Mark Serwotka for the following reasons:
Working Together For Members
Mark Serwotka has worked together with the National Executive for PCS Members. Thanks to this
work, change has begun at all levels of the union:
Pay is being taken forward as a National issue by Mark Serwotka and Janice Godrich. We need
to negotiate and campaign on pay with one National voice rather than 200 separate voices, to
prevent decimation of our pay and pay progression – particularly in DWP. Mark Serwotka is
leading this campaign.
The Pensions Campaign across the entire Public Sector was led by our President, General
Secretary and NEC. The Victory on protecting members’ Pensions would not have been achieved
without the leadership of these Mark Serwotka. Millions of Public Sector workers have reason to
be thankful.
Campaigns against privatisation and the Civil Service job cuts have been launched. There have
been some notable victories in terms of some stopped privatisations and despite setbacks, the
campaign will continue.

The General Secretary in six years, has done far more than was done in predecessor Unions in
the previous two decades.

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General Secretary
Over the past period the General Secretary Mark Serwotka along with the President Janice
Godrich have worked together to re-establish PCS as a campaigning union and have:
• put a return to national civil service pay, and an end to low and unequal pay, at the top of
the union’s work and forced the employer to concede talks Nationally
• led a real fight to defend jobs, pensions, pay, conditions and public services, protected the
final salary pension scheme and the right to retire at 60 for existing staff. Negotiated a new
Pensions scheme for new entrants with faster accrual rates
• united 14 major unions in a National campaign against privatisation
• stopped the cuts in civil service paid sick leave
• secured a commitment from the Government to end the Two Tier workforce (an outcome of
privatisation)
• raised the profile of the union with Ministers, employers, the TUC, other unions, opinion
formers, and within the membership and used television, radio and press to advance
members’ interests
Let’s show our support, and put a mark on the ballot papers and re-elect Mark Serwotka!
Building On The Progress Made
There is a need to continue to unite all those in the union who are committed to implementing the
policies of the union and defend the union's democracy.
The Branches ask for support based on the Mark Serwotka’s record during the past 7 years and
on the following important basic principles:
• Implementation of PCS Policies as agreed by Conference and Membership ballots and
concentration on delivering on members’ priority issues, particularly on Pay, Pensions and
Privatisation. Also campaigning Nationally for Call Centre members’ rights.
• Implementing improvements to the way PCS is organised and run.
The recommendation is as follows:

General Secretary: Mark Serwotka

The recently re-named ‘4 members’ i.e. the old National Moderate Group (Barry Reamsbottom's
ex-followers) only want to look after one set of members, themselves!

Vote Wisely.

Yours sincerely

DUNCAN GRIFFITHS RACHEL WALLACE-DAND

Secretary Fylde Central Benefits and Services Branch Organiser Veterans’ Agency Branch

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