Unfortunately, although we have made some progress and MoD management has come to the table prepared to discuss our concerns; we now have to take action to further pursue our campaign objectives.
Meetings with MoD management
The Permanent Secretary, Jon Thompson acknowledged our concerns regarding job security and overstretch, mobility and redundancy and threats to our terms and conditions in a meeting in mid December. At that meeting, we jointly agreed that further discussions with key officials could develop acceptable solutions to our key campaign objectives.
Several meetings have been held since then and these have been positive and have identified common ground that can be further developed into meaningful concessions and agreements that address our concerns and bring some relief to our union’s members.
Progress halted
We understand that PUS and the Secretary of State have now cleared a full and detailed written response, but as yet our union has not received this response.
Unfortunately the prohibitive trade union legislation in place in the UK meant that as we had not been fully successful in achieving our campaign objectives in these meetings by Monday 28 January, we had to enact our industrial action mandate. If we had not enabled it by this date, the ballot result would have been declared invalid and any action declared unlawful.
Overtime ban
Therefore, although we are making progress, we have little choice but to announce that the Defence Sector Group will start an indefinite overtime ban from 00.01 hours on Monday 4 February.
We have chosen the use of an overtime ban to start the industrial action part of our campaign, as one of the key issues we are currently discussing with MoD management is overstretch in the Ministry of Defence. The department is currently just about able to continue functioning because of overtime being worked by PCS members.
Our union believes that if all PCS members support the overtime ban, the department will very quickly reach crisis levels and we believe it will hasten an agreement between the department and ourselves on our Fair Deal objectives.
Overtime is usually voluntary and we are asking all members not to do any overtime for this indefinite period. If there is any compulsory or conditioned overtime which is counted as contractual pensionable pay, in your area, then you would still do that. If unsure, please seek advice from a PCS rep. If Saturday or Sunday working is classed as voluntary overtime, rather than part of the normal shift rota, then members should not do it.
If the employer makes any threats to deduct pay or take other punitive action as a result of the overtime ban, please contact your full time officer immediately for advice. PCS will resist any such threats.
Overtime ban picket lines
We will attempt to ensure that branches mount picket lines at defence sites that are currently offering voluntary overtime. Branches and members should report where overtime is being offered by emailing information to Tahira Hussain at tahira@pcs.org.uk.
PCS HQ will then work with the GEC, branches, reps and members to ensure we have sufficient pickets at each site with the relevant picket line materials.
Elsewhere in PCS
Defence Sector group members will have seen that last week our colleagues in DWP won guarantees that remove the threat of compulsory redundancy for 43 low-paid jobcentre and benefits staff. Similar to the Defence Sector group, DWP members had voted for industrial action but, after what officials described as "very constructive discussions", the compulsory redundancy notices have been withdrawn.
Today (31 January), PCS negotiators in the Department for Transport (DfT) have called off a strike planned for tomorrow after progress in negotiations lifted the threat of compulsory redundancy for hundreds of staff.
In both of these areas, the respective departments have reaffirmed their commitment to avoiding compulsory redundancies and are now working with PCS on this. We have offered such agreements to MoD management - we can only hope that MoD management value our members in the same way as DWP and DfT members are.
Conclusion
Taking industrial action is always the last resort for our union. We recognise that losing pay at a time of pay restraint and increased pension contributions is difficult and financially painful. By starting our industrial action programme with an overtime ban, we hope to ease those difficulties whilst putting maximum pressure on the department.
Threats to job security, mobility and our terms and conditions allied to further pay restraint, further pension contribution increases and more and more privatisation proposals that will bring a much worse support to the front line is what we face if we don’t stand together.
It is time to stand up and be counted. Do not work overtime and fight for a Fair Deal in Defence.
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