Public and Commercial Services Union

During 2011 PCS members have been at the forefront of a massive campaign right across the public and private sector. A campaign led by PCS to defend our pensions, pay and jobs.

A campaign that brought 500,000 protesters on to the streets on 26 March. A campaign that inspired nearly one million workers to strike on 30 June and more than two million workers to strike on 30 November.

At every stage organising has been at the heart of our national campaign. Being well organised moved thousands of ordinary members to act and join the march in London on 26 March. An organising approach made 30 June the best supported strike for a generation and attracted 7,000 non-members to join the union.

A mass programme of organising-focused reps briefings meant that 30 November was an even bigger success adding another 3,000 new members.

PCS members continue to face a hostile working environment. An attack on our pensions, a pay freeze, job cuts, privatisation and an attack on facility time.

In this environment organising and the national campaign must continue to be the constant priority of every PCS officer, group, region, branch and activist.

This means that organising and campaigning must become “business as usual” in our work with departments and employers.

The need to negotiate will of course remain but groups must make every issue of concern to members part of a group action plan. An action plan that is used to organise and build support for the national campaign.

By making organising a priority in our bargaining agenda we send a clear message that we are determined to defend ourselves and win the national campaign.

You can download the National Organising Strategy 2012 here.

  National organising strategy 2012

Resources

A number of resources are available to help your branch with your organising work:
• planning recruitment activity
• getting involved in staff inductions
• mapping your workplace
• organising action plan template
• ten point guide to organising a picket line
• how members can get more involved in the union
• annual general meetings (AGM) guide
• 10 reasons to join PCS
• literature order form
• promotional items order form.