Public and Commercial Services Union

PCS has won respect throughout the trade union movement and beyond for our political campaigning.

Members have recently been balloted about our political strategy and whether to expand the remit of the Political Fund so that PCS could support candidates or stand them in elections where it would help us to defend jobs, pensions, pay and public services.

• Watch and share the video about our political campaign ballot

Background to our political campaigning

In 2005 PCS members voted overwhelmingly for a political fund to enable us to campaign during election times.

In 2007 we started running our Make Your Vote Count campaign where we questioned candidates standing in elections on our key industrial issues. We then published any responses we received to members before they voted in the election.

We have organised campaigns during all types of elections (local authority, Scottish parliamentary, Welsh and Northern Ireland assembly, parliamentary and European) and have reviewed their effectiveness.

The NEC at its meeting in January concluded that at a time of intense focus on public sector reforms we need to ensure our campaigning efforts have an impact by:

• Focussing on national elections where we hope to influence government policy/activities that have an impact on our members terms and conditions
• Campaigning all-year round as the attacks to our members jobs, terms and conditions are happening every day, not just during election time

For several years we have also had parliamentary groups in Westminster, Cardiff Bay and Holyrood – to ensure elected representatives are well-informed on the issues that concern you at work.

Since 2009 annual delegate conference there have been two branch consultations on the question of standing or supporting candidates.

Political campaign ballot film

Transcript of video