Despite significant, ongoing rank-and-file opposition, the PCS leadership is still trying to dress up and flog, as the basis for calling off our dispute, a package of Government measures that were not all new, that in important respects had previously been dismissed by the leadership as inadequate, and that don’t come near to meeting our claims.

The problem they have is that no one thinks the package of monies announced is good enough. Unable to sell the deal, they are left with the option of killing the dispute by demotivating activists and members. They can also attack reps.

So at the Facebook live meeting with PCS members and representatives on Monday 12 June, and at various regional meetings since, the PCS leadership turned to the old right-wing tactic of suggesting or implying that the very large number of activists who oppose the calling off the dispute are out of touch with members.

These are the same activists who delivered record membership turnouts in successive industrial action ballots, record “Yes” votes for industrial action, and record picket line turnouts. Many of them are young people who threw themselves into a strike campaign for the first time in their lives and are the future lifeblood of PCS. But it is they, not the General Secretary on £100,000 a year, about to go into a well-paid retirement, who is out of touch.

We have heard this right-wing tune before, when at the DWP Group conference Mark Serwotka singled out DWP London branches for not hitting the 50% threshold; strongly implying that this invalidated London activists’ legitimacy in calling for further action. Of course, he nor the DWP President, allowed DWP London branches a right of reply or indeed any reply. He dishes it out but he has no intention of taking it. He has also refused to respond to an email from the DWP London Region asking why they were singled out.

Yet, many other DWP branches didn’t get to 50% either and we certainly know that the DWP Group as a whole did not get over the threshold. Indeed now the figures have been published 80% of London DWP branches increased their turnout while the group’s average fell and DWP London was far from the lowest region in terms of overall turnout.

The Ministry of Justice and Defence Groups too fell well short of 50% and were not re-balloted as a result, yet neither of these have been singled out by the GS, nor cautioned that their views were less valid than those whose branches and Groups got over 50%. Perhaps because the General Secretary and Left Unity are in coalition with the PCS Democrats, who have for years run the Justice group; a group with an humiliating 26% density-rate and which despite it’s predominantly junior grade make-up has spectacularly and consistently failed to reach even close to the 50% threshold. Where’s the public condemnation?

The point is that Mark Serwotka disapproves of DWP London’s views (indeed the views of the overwhelming majority of all branches in London) and therefore uses the 50% card against them but for people who he approves of, he doesn’t. This is consistent pattern for the GS; he uses arguments tactically; his only judgement being their usefulness in the moment.

The history of DWP London’s opposition to the leadership is varied, but it is worth saying that in the eyes of members it was particularly soured when the Left Unity Leadership in DWP, supported by Mark Serworkta made an agreement with the employer for all London staff to work an extra hour a week for no extra money! It’s that sort of behaviour which leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

The leadership’s tactic of demotivating members and activists can, and must be combated. One way is to join the NO campaign. This was started by a a number of branches from across the political, group and geographic spectrum of the union coming  together to issue a statement in opposition to shutting-down the national dispute.

The statement was put together by a number of branches who have passed motions expressing the many issues with the concessions and discontent with the current position with a view to gaining the broadest possible unity in our campaign to persuade the National Executive Committee that our dispute must not be ended on the basis of these concessions and campaign for a ‘reject’ vote if they do.

PCS Independent Left fully support this campaign and urge branches to discuss and pass the motions at Executive and members meetings in order to join the campaign.

If your branch has agreed our statement, please let the campaign know by emailing: join@pcssayno.co.uk