Public and Commercial Services Union

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) group is the largest group in PCS with around 84,000 members across the UK covering Jobcentre Plus, the Child Support Agency, the Pension service, DCS and Shared Services.

The group executive committee

All PCS members in DWP elect the group executive committee (GEC) annually.

There are 21 ordinary GEC members and 16 group officers including:

• president
• 5 vice presidents
• 7 assistant secretaries
• treasurer
• organiser
• editor

They all make up a committee of 37 elected members plus full time officer support.

The committee meets at least 4 times a year and considers reports on the negotiations going on with the department and on the campaigns being organised around the group.

Protecting the interests of members

The GEC is charged with "protecting and promoting the interests of the members in the group, and furthering the objects of the union" according to the group constitution.

The committee is also responsible for overseeing the negotiations at a national level, both with the business units such as Jobcentre Plus and Chile Support Agency, but also with departmental management on issues such as pay, terms and conditions of employment and facility time.

Like all major organisations the PCS DWP group are governed by a set of rules.

As well as the national PCS rules the group constitution governs the GEC composition role and responsibilities.

Group sub and advisory committees

The GEC is advised by a number of sub committees and advisory committees which also meet 4 times per year.

GEC regional liaison officers

Each of the 9 DWP English regions plus Scotland and Wales are allocated a GEC member who as a regional liaison officer who provides support to the regional committee and reports on the deliberations of the GEC.