In the Independent Left we know that rights for trade union members and reps aren’t just given by management, they’re fought for and won. In the IL we believe there is a need to refound PCS from the top to the bottom, to make it more democratic and put power in the hands of members and reps rather than unelected officials.
HMRC plays a crucial role in developing a national campaign worthy of the name on pay, job security and pensions and we will seek to build our strength to deliver that, for too long we have been passive in the fightback against the employer.
We must also be part of a co-ordinated, cross-Civil Service drive on new and emerging campaigns about how and where we work, so we can fight for a workplace that gives us power to do Our Work, Our Way, whether that is about pushing back against rigid office attendance policies or about preventing unilateral management rota changes. There are industrial Our Work Our Way campaigns happening across the Civil Service, with industrial action and action short of strike, and it is time HMRC prepared itself to join this fight.
On HMRC-specific issues, on the GEC we would seek to:
- From Fear to Fighting- Building a Better Branch Culture
Access Agreements for Reps and Members – The Employment Rights Act has created ‘Access Agreements’ for unions in workplaces and this provides a generational opportunity to change the toxic anti-union culture within HMRC and, by fighting for the right Agreement, allow reps to communicate with members on employer systems and map their branch density without undue management interference. We will also push to create a guidance document so reps and members know what is and isn’t suitable for Government systems. Other reps in Civil Service employers have these rights, it’s time for us to insist on the same.
Back to basics political education – To build a better culture, it needs to start with members on day one of their membership. We will push to create starter packs for members, to be sent when they join, with the aim of tweaking the mindsets of new starters to believe they deserve better. We will also pressure HR to provide a list of new starters to BECs, so they may be contacted by reps in their area and encouraged to join. In addition, we want to revamp the Business Trade Union Side structures to be member-led and grassroots, moving away from a liaison model and more to coordinating collective action in a business area.
End Toxic Management– In areas like parts of Customer Services Group where there are bullying managers and toxic environments, we will fight for members to be protected and for reps to organise against these managers with guidance on tactics and strategies for reps to use. All staff should feel empowered to push back on unreasonable demands from above.
For a Development-led P&D System– Other parts of the Civil Service have P&D systems which are development led, they are based on identifying skills gaps and working out how to help them develop their careers and skills, not based around narrow performance criteria and using Performance Improvement Plans as a fast track to dismissal. We must develop a campaign in HMRC based around pushing management to implement a Model P&D Policy that we develop and end the rigid performance management focus of P&D.
- Improving Agitational and Industrial Strength
Multi-Employer Building Organising– Create a plan to ensure branch details of BECs are shared between those in the same workplaces and local areas to enable local organising and mobilising to support national union policy. Support the establishment of joint Health and Safety Committees to help deliver this in the short term, before wider union policy change.
End Strike Breaking– organise within the Surge and Rapid Response Team to prevent this in-house contingent labour being used to break strikes through political education and organisation of these workers.
Insource FM workers – build a campaign to insource FM workers, starting by improving relations with FM staff in buildings and encouraging reps to represent FM staff even if in their own time. Identify potential FM reps and build a campaign to win.
- Creating a Member-led Group
Branch Mergers – Members need to be involved in the decisions that impact them. If HMRC Group or PCS National believe changes to branch structures would be beneficial; the branches themselves, who are best placed to understand the impact of such changes, should be meaningfully consulted and their views considered when decisions are made. Fostering our members’ sense of ownership of their branch is crucial to the lifeblood of our union.
VOA merger, not a hostile takeover – ensure a thorough comparison of T&Cs for HMRC and VOA takes place and the optimised policies for workers are implemented- we must see upwards harmonisation with thorough comparison and a fight for change, not enable the merger to result in a race to the bottom.
In the IL we are happy to work with any member, rep, faction or group who is committed to delivering our programme and shares in our wider aims. If elected, we will build a stronger PCS within HMRC and hope you will support us in this fight.
Our IL candidates are:
Rose Baker (R&C PCS Croydon Regional Centre Branch)
Fi Weldin (R&C PCS Croydon Regional Centre Branch)
and other candidates who support our aims.