Currently, when the union reports on its progress, it does so to serve the interests of the Left Unity (LU) leadership. This is evident in the recent “News from the NEC” report, which states that as of late February 2026, PCS membership reached an 18-month high of 189,886.
The subtext of this reporting is clear: LU is attempting to claim credit for a rise in membership under their current NEC, while suggesting that figures faltered under previous non-LU leadership. However, a closer look at the data reveals a much more troubling long-term reality.
The Scale of the Membership Gap
The first thing to remember is the published membership of 189,886 is not the figure for the UK civil service, it includes members in the Metropolitan Police, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and other employers too. So the UK civil service figure is actually around 155,000.
While heading towards 190,000 members is presented as a success by the leadership, it actually confirms that PCS remains a minority union. With the UK Civil Service currently employing over 554,000 people, there are now more than 320,000 non-members in the sector (this takes into account the membership of other unions).
Furthermore, the leadership’s transparency is highly selective. For instance, when the union lost over 4,000 members during the 2023 pay campaign, this was never reported to the members, nor did LU acknowledge it as a failure of their strategy.
A Failure to Grow with the Civil Service
When challenged on the long-term decline of the union, LU often points to the ending of “check-off” and past civil service cuts. While the end of check-off (we will produce a posting on this) did cost the union roughly 50,000 members, it does not explain the wider collapse in density.
Let’s look at the historical data:
- The 2006 Comparison: In 2006, the Civil Service was roughly the same size it is today (~554,000). At that time, PCS membership exceeded 250,000—over 60,000 more members than we have now.
- The 2016 Comparison: Since the Civil Service hit its lowest staffing point in 2016, the workforce has grown by approximately 35% (FTE). During this same period of rapid recruitment, PCS has failed to achieve any comparable growth.
The Need for Serious Leadership
Under the complete control of Left Unity, the union has seen a total loss of 131,000 members from its peak of 320,000. This massive decline has never been properly examined or explained by those in charge.
A serious union would be asking why, as the Civil Service grows at its fastest rate in decades, our union density continues to stagnate. Instead of addressing these systemic issues, the current leadership uses official reporting to mask a decade of decline with selective statistics and to take shots at political opponents.
To build a union that truly represents the modern Civil Service, we need a new approach and a new NEC. Vote Coalition for Change and Independent Left to make this change happen.
Leave a Reply