redscare
Taking the union’s campaign forward Communists within PCS have been a strong but critical friend of the national campaign from the outset. However, it is clear from our analysis of the latest phase of the campaign this spring, and the dynamic behind the national consultation exercise over the summer that, there is much to be done in order to secure progress on our key objectives. Before stressing the political and industrial elements of our campaign that we believe are required and should figure in discussions across the left (inside and outside of PCS), during the consultation exercise, at Left Unity Conference and in the run up to next year’s ADC there is a key factor that must be addressed. Simply put many parts of PCS have yet to adopt the organising agenda meaningfully and with the required level of discipline. Many Branches for example do not have active Branch Committees and lack the networks to communicate urgent industrial messages across their workplaces; deliver action at relatively short notice and otherwise promote national initiatives at a local level. Notwithstanding facility time cuts which have resulted in fewer reps with less time to engage with members, the hostility of the environment we find ourselves in demands that organising short-comings are addressed rather than tolerated. If we are to stand a chance in the battles
ahead this must be addressed. There must be a bigger focus on building branches to be effective at campaigning and organising. This requires a fundamental revision of the structure of PCS, allowing more focus on organising but not merely in a tick box exercise for the ‘Count me in’ campaign, rather a fully focused organising model on developing campaigning and fighting branches. PCS needs to look at its resource, from top to bottom, and change the focus of its operations. Build membership levels and participation rates, build effective branch communication systems, build a culture of organising across all roles. Communists have argued that one form of action is not a substitute for another – we need to bring all forces into play if we are to oppose austerity and the impact on our class. We need the big demonstrations such as the 29 September in Manchester. We need to build on the great Peoples’ Assembly Against Austerity where over 4000 people agreed to organise in their towns and communities – PCS can play a big part in mobilising both for the demonstration against the Tories and in using its network of activists to build local Peoples’ Assemblies. Communists in Broadening the Battle Lines argued that unions should organise generalised industrial action against government austerity – this would include a
Communists in PCS campaign special General Strike. PCS can play its part in this of course. Firstly we can organise in our own Industry. We recognise that attempts to identify industrial targets within every respective group and national branch within the union has led to dilution in many areas with hastily developed plans which do not have the industrial leverage to hurt the employer. But there is a number of key programmes the government is seeking to implement that are totally reliant up on the compliance of PCS members for their delivery, we should target those programmes and change our focus to where we can actually hurt the employer. To narrow our target list but strengthen our activity should be more effective, easier to communicate to members, and have demonstrably better results. This should be supplemented by cross-union action and a levy of members to build up a strike fund for the battle ahead. Finally a key part of the ongoing campaign must be recognition of the requirement to repair relationships and speak to other public sectors unions –. We should build on the joint agreement with Unite where we can. But this requires local government and education unions working alongside PCS. To truly defeat this government we need to build wide alliances that have the trade unions at their core. H
Bill Greenshields provides a sweeping analysis of the current crisis of capitalism, the class war being waged by the ConDem coalition government and the steps that need to be taken to build a People's movement in response. £2 from www.communist-party.org.uk