In one of his last acts in office, outgoing General Secretary Mark Serwotka issued Branch Bulletin BB-006-24.

In the BB he states, “On 7 February 2023, the government (that is the UK government) published a policy paper announcing a number of machinery of government changes” and as a result of this ‘There are also knock-on effects to arrangements currently existing in PCS groups and sectors, in particular the Public Sector Group and the Scottish and Welsh sectors…’ He goes on to claim, “The need for decisions is pressing given that the employer has established its new structures, thereby rendering ours unfit for purpose.”

This decision has created uproar with the GEC and activists of the Scottish Government Group, who say they have not been consulted,  and that the announcement that their Group will be no more has come as a complete shock to them. Plainly at least many activists in Scottish Group do not agree with the abolition of their Group and an unnecessary but wholly leadership driven internal PCS dispute has erupted.

Certainly the reasoning set out by Mr Serwotka make no sense in relation to the Scottish Government Group. After all, what have changes in the UK Civil Service, which he lists in the BB, have to do with the Scottish government? Those changes might mean that the ”need for decisions is pressing given that the employer has established its new structures, thereby rendering ours unfit for purpose” for the affected UK departments, but not for the Scottish Government Group.

The IL can see an argument for setting up a Scottish Sector Group to push forward the fight for national pay, terms and conditions of all those organisations that are directly funded by the Scottish Government but that is not what Mr Serwotka is saying. He claims changes in the UK Civil Service mean the Scottish Government Group must be abolished. Logic and detail were never Mr Serwotka’s strong point as this, his parting shot shows.

The Independent Left stands solidly behind those calling for the whole exercise to be stopped, so that the review of structures can take place without pressure. Trade Union leaders who have not morphed into 100% bureaucrats would understand that major union decisions will be most successfully implemented, and will best serve members, if the representatives and members affected believe they are not confronted with a fait accompli, are genuinely consulted, and at least in their majority persuaded of the merits of the decisions. There is a democratic argument that any such changes be put to ADC and in any case a membership vote.

Whilst the NEC might have the arbitrary power to scrap and create groups without consultation, they should not, not only in this instance but in all other instances. They should draw back from their decision and commence a thorough consultation with all affected representatives and members starting with the relevant highest committees: national officials and the NEC should not seek to bypass Group Executive Committees.

If the Left Unity cabal that actually run PCS are true to form they will try and cast this dispute into one of malign forces operating behind the scene creating an artificial upset. Nothing could be further from the truth. The outrage is genuine and is a response to what people see as a fait accompli,  an undemocratic act.

If the NEC ploughs on with the forcible shutting down of the Scottish Government Group then we will support any suitable motion brought to ADC 2024. Let’s have a democratic debate there.

Last but certainly not least, this instance, and others, throw up whether the current constitution is fit for purpose and whether it should be wholesale brought up to date (it is decades old) and in line with that of a membership led union. The IL has argued that representatives of members working for the Scottish Government should have more power within PCS and the current dispute reinforces that view.