PCS pensions strike the “strongest ever”

Yesterday’s magnificent strike action by hundreds of thousands of public sector workers across the UK was an inspiration. Although in Scotland only the PCS was taking strike action, their members responded in a way that was unprecedented. A full report of the action in England and Wales involving the PCS and three teacher’s unions can be read at http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/12329/30-06-2011/reports-massive-30-june-public-sector-pensions-strike

Again and again throughout the day PCS members commented that this was their best ever supported strike.  In total almost 30,000 PCS members took action from the Shetland Islands to Dumfries. There were more PCS members on strike, more pickets, more workplaces picketed, than in previous strike action and their mood was universal “we will not accept these attacks.”  So solid was the action at the MoD at Faslane naval base that marines from York had to be transported to the west of Scotland to cover for striking PCS members.  PCS members in office after office told us that many had joined the union in the run up to 30th June so they could take part in the strike. Significantly there was more active participation by PCS members than before.  

Dundee

Pickets were out in force across Dundee. All the main civil service workplaces had well organised picket lines who received great support and solidarity from other workers and the wider public. PCS reps reported solid support from their members with over 1,500 members out on strike in the city from DWP, HMRC, Inland Revenue, Job Centres and the courts.

A lunch time city centre rally attracted hundreds of PCS members and other public sector workers to hear a range of speakers including local UNISON branches, the Trades Council and the Dundee Pensioners Forum give their support and solidarity to those taking part in the action.

A number of local PCS reps gave reports on how this strike was so important to defend their pensions and jobs. They highlighted that it is women workers in particular, who already suffer from the lowest pensions. A new union rep from the courts reported that when he started working there a few months ago there were only a handful of union members. Due to this attack on pensions and other cutbacks the PCS now has a union density of over 90% in that workplace who were all out on strike, many for the first time.

As a number of speakers highlighted today was just the start in what needs to be a determined battle to force the Con-Dem government to back down and protect pensions and public services. The demand put forward for a one-day public sector general strike by the Socialist Party was well received.   

Glasgow

Glasgow’s George Square was a sea of colour yesterday as around 1500 PCS strikers, trade unionists and anti cuts campaigners rallied in support of the civil service union’s day of strike action. Public sector workers came out for their lunch break to take part in the rally. Workers from the NHS, local government and teachers showed their solidarity. Banners from Unite, Unison, EIS, FBU and PCS mingled with local campaigns from ‘Defend Glasgow Services’,  ‘Save the Accord Centre’ and the ‘Free Hetherington’ occupation. A number of speakers from the trade union movement explained about the vicious cuts and attacks on pensions being unleashed by the coalition government.

Graeme Smith, STUC General Secretary brought a message of solidarity and support from the STUC to the PCS members in recognition of their stand against the attacks. Mike Kirby, Unison Scottish Secretary, delivered a message of support and spoke of the reality of the affects of these attacks on the welfare state. To cheers he reiterated Unison’s intention to ballot for industrial action in the autumn when Unison members would stand shoulder to shoulder on the picket lines with PCS members. Many Unison members in workplaces across Scotland have been asking why they were not striking alongside the PCS?
 
Janice Godrich, PCS President and a Socialist Party member described the attacks as ‘pension robbery’ and poured scorn on the idea that negotiations were meaningful or productive. “Just because you are sitting in the same room does not make it negotiations” she said. She explained that the government minister, Francis Maude with his multi million pound fortune, recently caught fiddling his expenses had no intention of negotiation. ‘it’s the same old Tories, remember them?” she stated.

Janice described the attacks being ideologically driven and that the Tories plan was to privatise as much of the welfare state as possible. To huge applause Janice also referred to the unwanted intervention of the Labour Leader Ed Milliband who had called for MPs to cross picket lines as being “a disgrace” and further evidence that Labour is no longer a party that supports workers. Janice also called for the trade union movement to step-up its response after the summer and prepare for a massive coordinated day of strike action in the Autumn. 

SACA meeting

Following the Glasgow PCS rally a very successful Scottish Anti-Cuts Alliance meeting took place which was chaired by PCS NEC member Derek Thomson and addressed by Janice Godrich and Brian Smith, Glasgow Unison branch secretary. Well over 50 PCS members attended the meeting and heard the case for building towards a 24-hour strike across the public sector against the cuts. SACA was set-up in January this year on a platform of building support for a mass campaign against all cuts and for the setting of no cuts needs budgets. Brian Smith applauded the magnificent strike action by PCS, which was an “inspiration to all of us in the public sector”. Brian also condemned the SNP government’s statements that PCS members should effectively “get back to work.” The SNP have shown they are no friends of striking trade unionists and are at one with Miliband’s Labour party in abandoning workers. PCS Scotland play an active role in SACA as do Scotland’s two largest Unison branches Glasgow City and Glasgow and Clyde NHS Unison. 

On Thursday evening in Edinburgh 80 people attended a Edinburgh Anti-Cuts Alliance meeting called in solidarity with the PCS strike and heard PCS members explain the impact of their strike. 

All in all the PCS strike day was extremely successful and has created a reference point for other workers moving into struggle against cuts.