The ATUC called on the Labour Party to publicly pledge to
reinstate check-off in the civil service if elected and to legislate for a
statutory right for union members to have their subscriptions deducted through
their salary.
Delegates will also email their MPs in support of the PCS (see model wording below)
and called on the TUC, the STUC and all affiliates to give their full support
to the fight against these union busting tactics. |
| Brian Carroll |
Brian Carroll, PCS member and ATUC delegate said, “These
actions by this Tory led government are a blatant attempt to undermine the
organisation, membership and finances of the civil service unions and in
particular the largest union, the PCS.
"This has forced the PCS to sign over to direct debit more
than 150,000 of its members in just a few months. It risks leaving members without
union protection and the union losing millions in funds. No UK union has faced
such a mammoth task in such a short space of time,
“Add to this leaked plans to marginalise PCS in HM Revenue
and Customs, cut facilities time even more and set up a rival staff association.
It is nothing less than an attempt to union bust at the heart of government,
and in particular to undermine the PCS – a union that has consistently opposed
cuts to pay, pensions, jobs and services and has resisted privatisation and
austerity,” slammed Brian.
Alan Robertson, ATUC President added, “If the government
succeeds with their plans, it will give the green light to public and private
sector employers to remove check-off arrangements so we must stop this at all
costs.”
MODEL WORDING FOR LETTER OR EMAIL Please cut and paste and adapt for your use.
Dear
I am writing to draw your attention to the
actions of senior management in government departments, acting in accordance
with the instructions of Cabinet Office Ministers, to undermine independent
trade unionism in the civil service. In particular, I refer to the attacks on
PCS Union.
I am asking for your support for independent
trade unions, adequate time for union reps to represent their members and the
retention of the check-off facility and would ask you, as my local MP, to write to Frances
Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and ask that he withdraws his call
for government departments to end check-off.
The UK civil service has recognised independent
trade unions for nearly a century. The recognition of independent
representatives of employees is an important part of our democracy. The example
set by government in its treatment of its own employees is particularly
important as it sends a message to all other employers, public as well as
private, about how they should behave.
Other parts of the public sector may well be
targeted for anti-trade union activities should Ministers be successful in the
civil service.
Led by the Cabinet Office, government
departments have cut facility time by 60%, and many are trying to end “check-off”, the
decade’s old method through which employers collect union subscriptions direct
from a members’ salary. Large departments have given civil service unions just three
months notice of the withdrawal of check-off, in an attempt to undermine union
membership and finance.
In HM Revenue and Customs a leaked management
memo showed that there were secret plans to marginalise PCS as part of a deeply
concerning political approach to industrial relations. Recently, the Home
Office served an injunction on PCS on the spurious grounds of national security
to prevent the union publicising the effects of government cuts in the UK
Border Agency.
These are not the actions of a good employer,
but are politically inspired attempts to undermine independent trade unions at
the very heart of government.
I look forward to hearing from you.