PCS Union Midlands Regional Newsline Summer 2013

7/27/2019 PCS Union Midlands Regional Newsline Summer 2013

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Action rolls on across groups

Article appearing in the Birmingham Post 29th April 2013 by

on Griffin

Government cabinet member Iain Duncan-Smith has

been accused of dodging angry anti-cuts protesters after

pulling out of a visit to Smethwick Jobcentre.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union

rounded on the Work and Pensions Secretary after his

scheduled visit to the jobcentre was called off last Thursday.

The union had warned that members would stage a

protest at Governent cutbacks to coincide with Mr Duncan

Smiths visit.

They targeted the minister after he claimed he could

survive on 53 a week if he had to in a huge row over

benefit cutbacks.

He said in a radio interview: I have been unemployed

twice in my life so I have already done that.I know what it is

ike to live on the breadline.

But Andrew Lloyd, Midlands Regional Secretary for the

PCS, said: Mr Duncan Smith avoided being confronted by

protesters.

Instead of seeing the Smethwick protesters he was

sneaked into the Child Support Agency in Dudley without

virtually any staff.

Staff at Smethwick had been told that Mr Duncan

Smith was visiting to thank

them for being a

high-performing office

because of the number of

benefit claimants it gets off

benefits.

"As well as ducking the

Smethwick protesters, Mr

Duncan Smith is developing a

habit of ducking issues.

"Recently nearly half a

million people signed an online petition asking him to live on

53 a week for a year, in response to his claim that he could

live on benefits.

Mr Lloyd said Jobcentre workers had threatened to tear

up 25 Marks and Spencer vouchers received for getting

claimants off benefits as part of a DWP carrot and stick

approach.

He said: The carrot is a small one and a number of PCSmembers from Smethwick were considering tearing up their

vouchers in front of IDS to show their feelings over the

matter.

Mr Duncan Smiths Parliamentary office failed to

respond to requests for a comment.

IDS ducks visit after threat of walk out

Lincoln TUC unity against racismfight the cuts not

each other demonstration 8th June

After Woolwich we will not be divided

Women chainmakers festival


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3/8

The ninth Women

Chainmakers festival took place on

Bearmore Park, Cradley Heath on

Saturday 8th June. The festival is

growing year on year.The first commemoration was

organised at the Chainmakers

Monument in Mary Macarthur Memorial

Gardens complete with a re-enactment

from key moments in the Womens

struggle.

TUC President, Lesley Mercer headlined

the speakers and led the second banner

procession along Cradley Heath High

Street to the festival.

Jean Cooper from the PCS

Midlands office oversaw an expanded

community tent. Thanks to her hard

work and personal commitment it saw

many more local organisations and

traders on the site than before.

Local artists performed in the Left-

field marquee, and there were newattractions such as the Birmingham

University Archery Club, thanks to Paul

Hawkins, also from the regional office.

There was also a martial arts

display from young people and a paper

chain produced by children amongst

dozens of other exciting activities and

engagements in the family tent.

PCS activists and staff handed out

literature on our stall on the theme of

Britain needs a pay rise along with ouralternative campaign booklets on

welfare and austerity. We also collected

dozens of signatures for the Shrewsbury

pickets campaign.

The Women Chainmakers is a

family festival to commemorate the

women who took a stand against being

duped out of a minimum wage for the

chains they made in the their backyard

wash houses.

In the 18th and early 19th century

Cradley Heath was the centre of chainmaking. This was a cottage industry, and

many heavy and industrial chains were

made by women in sheds in their back

yard. This was heavy hard and dangerous

work. A woman had to hammer up to

5,000 links a week to earn the equivalent

of 25p.

The women raised their children

whilst making the chains. In 1909 the

Government introduced legislation to

increase the wages in exploitative tradeslike chain makers, but as most of the

women could not read the employers

tried to trick the women by getting them

to sign an opt out so they did not have to

increase their wages.

The women that refused to sign

were told there was no work for them.

The Women went on strike, and their

cause was filmed by pathe news and

shown in 600 cinemas in the country.

The chainmakers not only wontheir rights October 1910. After the

women's victory, there was still sufficient

in the strike fund to build a Workers'

Institute, a two-storey building known as

the "Tute."

The Women Chainmakers Festival...celebrating the anniversary of when the women chainmakers of Cradley

Heath struck, won and made the first minimum wage a reality

Photo courtesy of Nikki Cooper DollyMix Media www.dollymix-media.co.uk

Photo: Nikki Cooper DollyMix Media www.dollymix-media.co.uk

Photo: Nikki Cooper DollyMix Media www.dollymix-media.co.uk


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1. Why do members go on strike?

Hopefully they go on strike because they believe in the issues

we are campaigning on. They may have voted Yes or No but

for many members they will not have voted at all but are open

to persuasion to join the action. We cant get away from the fact

that some members join the strike yes from a supportiveposition but seeing it as a day away from work that they can do

other things, spend time with families etc. Our job as activists is

to persuade these members as many as possible to be active

with PCS on the day, either on the picket line or doing other

things. Its this issue of what can be done on the strike day that

will determine if we can persuade members to join us in activity

on the day.

2. How active should the picket line be?

As active as possible is the short answer.

Traditionally we hold a picket line from early in the morning

with the aim of stopping the post going in and hopefully talking

to any members that are intending to break the strike and try to

persuade any non members to join the Union

We therefore need a good turnout enough to cover every

entrance. The more members on the picket line the more

enjoyable it is likely to be. Some branches bring a bar b que

to feed the pickets, many have leaflets aimed at non members

and members going in, some have collection buckets for the

hardship fund, some stay just long enough to cover the time

staff come to work whilst others stay much longer to leaflet thepublic. We need to make members aware that picketing can be

fun and not something off a TV documentary from a 1980s

miners strike (although having stood on many NUM picket lines

I can say they truly were an interesting experience)

Overall I believe we need to use the picket line to talk to people

going in talk not yell with the aim of trying to persuade them

of the cause we are striking for. Some reps may feel its not

worth talking to some members / non members who regularly

cross picket lines but I would say try, try and try again. I would

have leaflets too, membership forms and a bucket for donation

to the hardship fund.

3. What should be done for the rest of the strike day?

Traditionally we have held a lunchtime rally which means that

those pickets normally have a couple of hours to kill waiting for

the rally to start going for a collective breakfast could pass the

Making the most of strike days

As strikes rolled on across groups, Steve Battlemuch,

Midlands Regional Organiser, explores how to make

he most of strike days.

APEX Court reps from ACAS and Natural England join Independent Living Fund strikers on their picket line in solidarity


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me but in reality many use this time to slip off home or gohopping.

Why not use this time to do some public leafleting and

etitioning in a shopping area? In the recent DWP and HMRC

rike the Nottingham branches did just this and they really

njoyed it. They did this instead of holding a rally where in

eality they could have just been speaking to themselves.

ublic lunchtime rallies work best with the maximum amount of

eople involved, especially when other unions are involved too.

aving a PCS only event with small numbers can be dispiriting

ometimes.o to conclude try to do something public that involves people

nd makes a difference. Set clear times where people can join

ou if they have not come picketing. If your MP is in town that

ay and is supportive (rare I know) then use them, if not

upportive visit them or their office and take the local paper

nd radio with you! Regional office can help with these plans.

ets not see strike days as a day off but as a day of

ampaigning.

Birmingham Trades Council joins City Centre House picketNottingham Budget Day public strike rally

The media joins Selly Oak JCP picket as horns mark the start of the walk out

R&C picket, Castle Meadow Nottingham 5th June regional strike


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Sian RuddickPCS Midlands Regional Chair

The Next Phase of the Campaign

Protests on 27th

June 2013The next part of the National campaign will see

protests across the country on the 27th

June. We all need to

make sure these protests build on the action we have taken

so far. Full details of the events are not yet known, but what I

will say is the protests on the 30th

November 2012 were a

resounding success in many workplaces. It did a number of

things. It allowed members to get together and send a

message to the employer they were hacked off with the way

they were being treated, and of course members didnt

sacrifice a penny.

We should be proud of the action we have taken so far;

2 days in a couple of months is more than most unions take

in a decade. I am proud of my union and the members and

the way in which we refuse to be bossed around by this

government.

The protests will coincide with the start of Teachers

union strikes, other unions are also considering their own

action. The FBU and the CWU are either in the middle of

action or holding a ballot. It is obvious to say, but we should

link up with other unions as much as we can. The Teachers

strikes will happen in our region in September / October, the

NUT above all has been very supportive to us both nationally

and regionally. I was pleased to hear that Kit Armstrong NUT

regional secretary spoke at our rally in Birmingham last week.

As we go to print on our newsletter, Unison local

government is also balloting their members over a 1% pay

increase offer, if rejected Unison has said they will move to a

ballot for action!

Finally, can I say to any doubters out there that our

campaign is not working, just look at how the employers and

government have reacted to it. They have tried to useinjunctions, taken 3 hours 42 minute deductions when some

have only be out for a few hours, used all the propaganda

they could to derail the action. This proves the action is

hurting them, otherwise they would ignore it!

Finally, finally, whilst personally I do not condone bad

language I have heard that there are dozens of members and

members of the public wanting to buy a drink for the mystery

claimant who spotted IDS. After the minister avoided

Smethwick Job centre, he was spotted in another West

Midlands Job centre, and a claimant told him to in the biblical

sense, go forth and multiply, and also that he was abanker. Apparently IDS was deeply offended by the term

banker and was hoping that it was a mispronunciation!

Support the protests on the 27th

; lets make sure our

campaign wins!

Land Registry, Nottingham picket 31st May

Nottingham Parliament Street DWP picket

Wolverhampton R&C picket

R&C East Midlands and Nottingham DWP


7/8

Myth busting leaflets can be found

at pcs.org.uk/campaigns/national-

campaigns/welfare-reform/

index.cfm

Welfare isnt about strivers vs

scroungers.

But you wouldnt know it fromeading the papers. Media coverage

usually ignores the large numbers of

people who work and rely on

benefits. As public servants our

members are often poorly paid and

many of them depend on these in-

work benefits to get by. Thats why

were stepping up our campaign for a

welfare system that gives people the

upport they need and offers realoutes out of poverty.

30 billion cuts

Supportive social security systems

based on dignity and respect help

ndividuals, families, communities and

he wider economy.

But this government has launched

the biggest attack on the welfarestate for generations:

Individual benefits for children,

housing and health have been

frozen, cut or abolished.

People with disabilities and

unemployed workers face

punitive new systems based on

conditionality, sanctions and low

benefit levels.

Action now

Because we believe that this

approach is fundamentally wrong our

welfare campaigning aims to tackle

this governments divisive and

uncaring approach head on. Join us.

Take action now to defend welfare.

Ideological cuts

increase costs

143M

39MClosing the Independent LivingFund for severely disabled

people will also cost more than

it saves.

Extra costs in housing benefits

even if just one in six households

hit by the bedroom tax is forced

to move to private rental

PCS is spearheading a united campaign against welfare cuts alongside other trade

unions and charities.


8/8

PCS union along with the NUT and

GMB backed a weekend of free events

and activities at the newly opened

Birmingham LGBT centre during Pride.

The events took place following

the Birmingham Pride parade watched

by an estimated 70,000 people.

Students, trade unionists and

community groups joined together toform a Pride is a Protest block chanting

We will not be quiet, Stonewall was a

riot!

As all three unions represent

members in the Education sector, the

events at the centre started with a

workshop on challenging homo, bi and

trans phobia in schools. 70 teachers,

student teachers, education workers

and activists took part in our workshop

which proved very popular.

One tweet from a student teacher

following the event simply said

I now feel confident to go

into teaching

The workshop launched a lesson

plan for schools which bring alive LGBT

history with an activity linked to the back

-to-back houses in Birminghams Hurst

Street.

This was followed by a debate onSection 28: the toxic legacy with a key

note speech from Elly Barnes from

Schools OUT!

In conjunction with the centre,

PCS also supported an older persons

quiz and a film showing GenSilent about

older LGBT people and aging.

Unions make a difference at Birmingham Pride

The English Defence League and

the British National Party are seeking to

exploit the horrific murder of Lee Rigby

by whipping up hatred and division. This

has already seen violent reprisals against

the Muslim community, including a

series of arson attacks on mosques. The

governments hotline is reporting thatslamophobic hate crimes are at ten

times their usual rate.

Anti fascist activists from different

communities, cultures, faiths and trade

unions came together swiftly and

decisively over the last few weeks. They

nsisted that we must not give a quarter

to those who would judge an entire

religion, race or nationality by the

actions of a few and that we will not be

divided by racism and fascism.

On the 1st of June, Unite Against

Fascism mobilised in Leicester,

Birmingham and Coventry

outnumbering the EDL on all occasions.

In London, the PCS national

banner was clearly seen as part of the

blockade to stop around 100 BNP

members reaching the cenotaph along

with 1000 anti-fascists.

On the 8th of June the people of

Sheffield mobilised for a second week in

a row. The Unite Against Fascism and

One Sheffield Many Cultures

outnumbered the EDL by 2000 to 270.

But the Midlands played a vital

role too on the day confronting the EDL

in Lincoln and Shrewsbury.

Nick Parker reports Lincoln TUC

mobilised hundreds of local people to

oppose the far-right East Anglican

Patriots. Our protest rally was

publicised under the slogan Unity

Against RacismFight the Cuts not

each other.

Opposition to the far right is

part and parcel of building strong trade

union organisation to unite working

people against cuts and austerity.

Lincoln TUC calls for decent jobs, homes

and services to combat the social

conditions behind the re-emergence of

the far right

Against a backdrop of economic

crisis and rising Islamophobia these

actions are important in driving a wedge

between the fascists and those pulled by

racist ideas in this period.

Thanks to the work of activists

across the Midlands the TUC reports

that no BNP candidates were victorious

in any seat in the local elections in May

in the Midlands. This is despite the BNP

standing 56% of their candidates

nationally in our region.

After Woolwich: We will not be divided by

racists and fascists

Documents

PCS Union Midlands Regional Newsline Summer 2013