The nominations are in and so we wait for the voting to begin.

In the elections members are faced with two fundamentally different visions as to what a union should be. The differences are not that of tactical nuances, as to what we should to do on this or that issue, but concern different conceptions of a union.

‘Left’ Unity is content for PCS to remain a typical TUC union. So we have exceptionally well paid senior full time officers (FTOs) and very well paid other FTOs; no elections of full time officers beyond those required by law; a top down organisation where branches and activists have to ‘go’ to FTOs to get things; where most conference motions passed remain unactioned and the members are there to do the things that the leadership wants.

In contrast we want all full time officers on wages that are the same of those they serve; we want all FTOs who represent members to be elected; for PCS to be really a membership lead union; for the union to back members and activists who want to fight, rather than act as a brake, for the union to be open so members are told in detail what the union is doing (seeing the General Secretary in a video is no substitute to seeing the letters exchanged with the Cabinet Office and the Treasury on things like pay and the compensation scheme); for lay officials to lead all negotiations and for democracy to be more than just annual elections and conferences.

That is the choice; more of the same or a start towards a radical change (us being elected won’t be enough). If you are for the latter then vote for us, and why not join us?