The following joint programme for the future of the union was agreed by two groups of activists in the union, the Independent Left (IL) and the Broad Left Network (BLN), as a basis for the candidacies of Marion Lloyd and John Moloney for the General and Assistant General Secretary elections.

We urge support for these positions and therefore support for Marion and John in the upcoming election.

Continue the dispute: the government’s highly limited “package of measures” was not and is not conditional on PCS ending its industrial action and its dispute and does not come anywhere near settling PCS’ pay and job security demands. The 2023-24 pay remit will mean a further reduction in real pay and the £1,500 payment is a one-off non-pensionable payment, limited in coverage, subject to pro-rata payments for part time staff, and not even guaranteed to be paid in all “employer areas” We must fight on to win a fair deal on pay and employment protection, including permanently lifting staff off the minimum wage. If we don’t continue the fight this year, we will have to fight again in the future.

Escalate our campaign: we must adopt a rational and democratically agreed plan of national and selective strike action, and action short of strikes, to defeat the Tory cost of living squeeze and to defend our pensions and jobs. We must put in place a permanent arrangement for building the Fighting Fund. We must seek to co-ordinate our actions with other unions.

Begin a campaign to reverse the detrimental changes to our pensions: retirement age, including for state pension, should be 55. In the civil service, 68 is still too late, we pay too much and get too little, and privatised PCS members often have it even worse. We must fight back.

Devolved Government members: Members in the Scottish and Welsh Governments should determine the pace and form of their pay, Terms and conditions, fights.

Key issues: Build into our national campaigning the key issues facing members, including office closures, chronic under-staffing and the other myriad ways that austerity manifests for all PCS members, including for contracted-out, privatised members.

End multi-tier Terms & Conditions: Campaign to end the multi-tier work force, which sees younger staff on worse conditions than those with “legacy” terms.

Extend democracy in PCS: Full-Time Officers with bargaining responsibility for our members should be elected, and Full-Time Officer pay should be brought more in line with the wages of union members. More power and resources should be devolved to left behind areas such as the Met Police and the Culture Group. For real devolution of power to members in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. To reconnect with members and drive-up NEC and GEC election turnouts.

Mass drive to recruit non-members: We need to have 80%+ membership. This can only be done with a radical overhaul of how we organise.

Put equality genuinely at the heart of what PCS does: Insist on equality impact assessment of all employer proposals (leadership’s acceptance of pro rata payment of £1,500 to part time members without even asking for equality evidence and assessment is shameful). Oppose and campaign against detrimental centrally driven changes, give full support for reps to build anti-discrimination cases and campaigns from the ground up. Reaffirm our commitment to fighting for trans rights, and opposition to gender critical ideology

Reinvigorate PCS political campaigning: Fight for the repeal of anti-trade union laws; oppose all public sector cuts; for energy democracy and for a National Climate Service; for universal social security net run in the interest of staff and claimants;, attain Tax Justice in the UK; oppose racism and fascism.

Organise, resource, and support PCS members in private sector: Commit to a serious struggle to improve levels of unionisation and organisation in private, privatised, and outsourced companies and services; improve terms and conditions at work across all private sector members, particularly on pay, holidays, sick leave, sick pay, bullying and trade union recognition. End outsourcing and bring all staff back in-house.