Dave Semple, Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS) national Vice president, speaking in a personal capacity, discusses the issues at stake in the upcoming union elections.

From 16 April, ballot papers will go out to PCS members to vote for a new National Executive Committee (NEC) and president. PCS organises workers in the civil service, in government agencies and other public sector bodies, and on outsourced government contracts.

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden’s “radical reforms” and Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement promise “the worst cuts since austerity” – a £2 billion axe to the civil service.

This includes 15% cuts to departmental budgets, tens of thousands of jobs to go, the abolition of NHS England with the loss of half the workforce, below-inflation pay rises, unsafe pensions, office closures, increased workload, and attacks on the working environment, including hybrid working.

And this catalogue was all promised before the onset of economic chaos and potential downturn following Trump’s tariffs.

Elections are taking place this spring in a number of unions – the first time under Starmer’s government. They are all an opportunity for members to elect a fighting leadership that will stand up to Starmer and lead a serious campaign to defend members.

Read more:

PCS must fight Starmer’s cuts

https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/137687/09-04-2025/pcs-must-fight-starmers-cuts/

The battle for the PCS

https://socialismtoday.org/the-battle-for-the-pcs

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