PCS: Home Office accused of ‘decapitating’ union to pave the way for cuts
The Home Office is accused today (15) of trying to ‘decapitate’ the Public and Commercial Services union’s presence in the department as it prepares to slash 8,500 jobs.
At a rally today in central London the union has launched a campaign against the job cuts and the sacking of two of its senior elected reps.
Immediately after the meeting, the union hand-delivered a letter notifying the employer of its intention to ballot its 15,000 Home Office members for industrial action.
The two reps – Sue Kendal, the union’s southern and south eastern branch secretary, and Home Office group president Mark Hammond, the most senior elected rep in the department – both worked as senior immigration officers in Kent.
They have been instrumental in the union’s campaign against cuts to front line UK Border Agency staff in Kent, as well as a campaign against a cut in agreed allowances for UKBA staff working on immigration controls in northern France.
Mark and Sue were sacked last autumn for unsubstantiated allegations relating to a satirical newsletter in which some senior managers felt they had been lampooned.
The union believes the Home Office seized on the opportunity to conduct a biased and unbalanced investigation and dismissed them, despite a lack of evidence.
The union’s anti-victimisation campaign was launched at a meeting at The Emmanuel Centre, in Marsham Street, just yards from the Home Office headquarters.
The union has now notified the Home Office of its intention to ballot its members for industrial action short of a strike. In the event of any compulsory redundancies, the union will ballot for a strike.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “As the Home Office gears up to make massive job cuts, its senior managers are trying to decapitate our union to silence any signs of workplace dissent. This is nothing more than blatant victimisation of elected union reps and we will do everything possible to defend them and to oppose the government’s cuts.
“We do not accept the need for cuts and we will continue to make the case for the alternative of investment in our public services and proper resources to tackle the tax dodgers who deprive our public finances of tens of billions of pounds every year.”
ENDS
Notes
– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216
– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich
– Follow PCS on Twitter
Dave Tilley
Journalist
Public and Commercial Services Union
160 Falcon Road
London SW11 2LN
Direct line: 020 7801 2744
Mobile: 07543 334 376
Extension: 2073
-01.png){kind=spacer}