Public and Commercial Services Union

Group conference 2013

These pages contain circulars, motions and election information for group conference 2013.

Queries should be refered to group office on 020 7801 2884/5

• Submitting motions
• Election and conference timetable
• Time off for AGMS

Submitting motions

Motions can be submitted via online following the procedures on the electronic motions page or via hard copy.

Branches should submit their motions using one method only.

Branches are reminded, when submitting motions, that they need to comply with the group rules 7.18 and 7.19: 

• 7.18 - Only branches or the group executive committee may submit motions to a group conference. Branch motions shall have been passed at a properly constituted General Meeting of members.
• 7.19 - Motions shall be submitted on the appropriate form and shall be received not later than seven weeks before the date on which conference opens.

If submitting more than one motion, branches will need to make additional photocopies of the attached form.

All motions should be submitted as soon as possible after your annual general meeting but, in any event, must reach the R&C bargaining unit by 5pm on Thursday 7 March 2013.

All hard copy motions should be sent in envelopes with the following annotation in the bottom left hand corner – ‘Motions 2013 – R&C Group Conference’ – and addressed to Colin Edwards, R&C Group standing orders committee secretary, PCS, 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN.

Remember:

• Do not make submissions using both ‘Motions Online’ and the postal system. This slows down the processing of your submissions.
• Do not use sub-bullet points in the text of your motion.
• Do not leave your submissions until the last minute - submit them no later thantwo days before the closing date where possible. Even if a branch receives confirmation of receipt by an automated e-mail, if it is submitted after the deadline the standing orders committee will rule it out of order as being submitted late.
• Do not remain logged in to the PCS website at the same time as the submitting officer when the confirming officer logs on if you are both using the same PC.

Please do not hesitate to contact the R&C Standing Orders Committee Secretary, Colin Edwards, at PCS headquarters if you require any further advice or information

Election and Conference timetable 

January

• 18 Friday  - Deadline for election nominations and conference motions forms to be sent to branches.   Requests for exemption from workplace balloting opens.

February

• 8 Friday (noon) - Deadline for notification of workplace ballot exemptions
• 22 Friday   - Annual report to branches (12 weeks prior to conference)

March

• 7 Thursday (5pm) - Deadline for receipt of completed nomination and motions forms (10 weeks prior to conference)
• 14 Thursday (5pm) - Closing date for election addresses and acceptances
• 29 Friday  - Easter begins

April

• 1 Monday - Easter ends
• 4 Thursday - Publication of finance report
• 10 Wednesday - Group elections open for HMRC group (inc VOA). Ballot materials are distributed from this date. Workplace balloting materials should be received no later than Friday 12 April. Branches with postal elections should receive papers around Monday 15 April
• 26 Friday - SOC report No. 1 with branches (3 weeks prior to conference)

May

• 1 Weds (noon) - Workplace ballots close
• 6 Monday  - May Bank Holiday
• 9 Thursday (noon) - Deadline for branch workplace ballot packs to be returned to ERS
• 16 Thursday - Group election results
• 9 Friday, 17 May (noon) - Deadline for emergency motions and references back
• 21 Monday - 22 Tuesday - Group conference

The SOC will consider emergency motions and publish SOC report No.2 and meet with branches who are referencing back, (followed by publication of SOC report No.3), over the weekend of 18/19 May. The final arrangements for this will be confirmed as soon as they have been finalised)

 

Time off to attend 2013 branch annual general meetings (AGMs) and mandating meetings (MMs)

Central discussions on time-off and arrangements for 2013 branch annual general meetings (AGMs) and mandating meetings (MMs) have been completed.

HMRC has agreed that they will advise businesses that up to two hours paid time off should be made available for members who attend their 2013 branch AGMs; additionally, travelling time may also be negotiated locally where the geographical spread of the branch justifies such additional time. Branches can now finalise their AGM plans, within the framework agreed.

In addition, we have also agreed that up to two hours paid time off should be made available for members attending their 2013 branch MMs on the same terms as set out above.

Branches should also be aware that there have been some parallel discussions between the Contact Centre Directorate (CCD) and Vicki Searle, assistant group secretary (AGS) for contact centres, over the scheduling of branch AGMs covering members in contact centres.

We're aiming to ensure that these are spread over the relevant weeks in order to allow the maximum possible attendances.

The process for arranging time off for branches with members who work within CCD has been outlined previously in BB/455/10. Any additional problems relating to the branch AGM arrangements for contact centres should be referred to Vicki Searle.

Any enquiries about the issues covered by this briefing should be directed to tomt@pcs.org.uk.