PCS: Short sharp strikes by equality watchdogs

PCS: Short sharp strikes by equality watchdogs

PCS: Short sharp strikes by equality watchdogs

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union at the Equality and Human Rights Commission will hold lightning walkouts in a dispute over cuts which would neuter the commission and end its services to the public.

The first one-hour stoppage from 11am to 12 noon will be tomorrow (4 May), with another planned for the following week on 11 May. There will be picket lines at the commission’s main offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, London and Manchester. The commission wants to more than halve its staff from 460 to 200 within 12 months – with many of those remaining being consultants or on short term contracts – after being subjected to budget cuts of 68%.

The government has already announced it is withdrawing funding for the EHRC’s helpline and grants programme and the comssion has moved forward its plans to close its regional offices.

Staff in Nottingham have been told to start clearing their desks, despite the fact that a government consultation on the future of EHRC is not due to close until 15 June. But the commission continues to retain non-permanent ‘interims’, including several consultants on rates in excess of £1,000 a day.

The union has called on EHRC chair Trevor Phillips to reveal his plans for the future of the organisation, challenging him to define the ‘core functions’ which he claims will be protected. In a ballot of the union’s 314 members in EHRC, more than 77% voted to strike on a turnout of 48%.

Plans to cut the commission’s budget down to £22.5 million by 2015 – from £70 million when it was formed in 2007 – would mean employers and public authorities would no longer be held to account if they carried out discriminatory policies. They would also effectively end the commission’s legal work, which recently helped ensure six million carers in Britain are protected against discrimination in employment.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “These are dedicated staff, experts in their fields, and this strike action shows how determined they are to maintain proper, quality services to the public.

“This work is particularly important at a time when government cuts are making it more likely people will face discrimination and disadvantage, and we urge the commission to talk to us about the alternatives.”
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 – on Twitter @janicegodrich

– Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union