PCS General Secretary writes to Labour prime minister
The letter from Fran Heathcote asks for a meeting with Keir Starmer and a “detailed roadmap” for progressing our concerns
The PCS national executive committee (NEC) agreed to write to new Labour prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to request an urgent meeting.
The letter asks for a meeting before 30 July to discuss “matters faced by workers across the UK civil service, including those working in contracted out and devolved areas.”
The letter stresses that “we are not willing to tolerate further vague assurances of future talks, given the behaviour of the previous government during 2023 in response to our members’ concerns.”
It asks the new government to reinstate our victimised trade union reps who were sacked by HMRC at Benton Park View and to cease any further victimisation, and to instruct all permanent secretaries to enter into discussions with the union on the restoration of trade union rights, and withdraw the attack on civil service equality, diversity and inclusion networks implemented by the Tory government in May 2024.
The letter makes it clear that while we would like a negotiated solution, we “need a detailed roadmap for how these concerns will be progressed, with the intention of reaching agreement before September 2024.”
If the prime minister does not agree to meet with PCS before 30 July the NEC will meet to consider our next steps.
Dear Keir,
ENGAGEMENT WITH PCS
Our National Executive Committee (NEC) met recently and agreed that we should write to you seeking an urgent meeting to address, in a meaningful way, matters faced by workers across the UK civil service, including those working in contracted out and devolved areas.
We emphasise our willingness to engage in good faith, but we must stress that we are not willing to tolerate further vague assurances of future talks, given the behaviour of the previous government during 2023 in response to our members concerns.
As part of the engagement process, as a gesture of good faith, we ask that that the new government agrees to:
• reinstate our victimised trade union reps in HMRC in Benton Park View and cease any further victimisation
• instruct all Permanent Secretaries to immediately enter into discussions with Departmental Trade Union Sides on the restoration of trade union rights lost since 2010, and withdraw the attack on Civil Service EDI networks implemented by the government in May 2024.
While we are desirous of a negotiated solution to our members’ concerns, we need a detailed roadmap for how these concerns will be progressed, with the intention of reaching agreement before September 2024.
We are seeking a meeting with you by 30 July 2024. Should that not be forthcoming, our NEC will meet to consider matters further.
I am copying this letter to the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office and all Permanent Secretaries; and publishing it to PCS members via our website.
Yours sincerely
Fran Heathcote
General Secretary