27 June day of protest

Our union has announced that 27 June will be a day of protest in the civil service as we continue our Fair Deal campaign in the defence sector group and our national campaign across the entire civil service.

The Defence Sector group want our members to play a massive and significant part in this day of protest. Members will this year get a paltry below inflation pay rise after two years of pay freezes whilst paying out yet more for their pension which diminishes at a later retirement date.

On top of this we have wave after wave of attacks on our terms and conditions such as the detrimental changes to performance management, which will see 1 in 20 MoD employees sacked by this time next year.

Day of protest

The defence sector group is therefore fully supporting the 27 June day of protest and ask that members consider doing the following during the day.

1. Work your proper hours – our union recognises that members want to give the best possible support to the front line, but working long hours or unpaid overtime will only allow the MoD to continue abusing your loyalty. We ask that on 27 June, you work your proper hours and no more.
2. Between 10.00am and 11.00am – We are asking all members to have a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) break. Members who work with Visual Display Units (VDTs, UADs, laptops, monitors are in this context all the same thing) for a significant part of their working day are already advised by the MoD to take a break away from the screen of between five to ten minutes each hour. Our union knows that with members covering 2 and 3 extra jobs because of staff shortages, these breaks are not regularly taken. On 27 June, please take a DSE break between 10.00am and 11.00am
3. Between 11.00am and 12 noon - We are asking all members to call DBS with a pay query. Members can ask their own question or simply ask how much (or how little) they will get in their pay ‘rise’ in August. Please remember that the vast majority of those who answer these calls in DBS will be PCS members who themselves will be protesting for a Fair Deal on 27 June. You can call DBS on 93345 7772 or 0800 345 7772.
4. During the lunch period – We want you to “Tell the MoD to burger off”. We are asking branch executives to buy disposable barbeques, burgers and rolls and cook the burgers for members at lunchtime. This will be outside and not on MoD property. Please check with your own branch officials that it is going ahead in your site before leaving the site – we don’t want hungry members!
5. Between 2.00pm and 3.00pm – It is time to tell PUS what you think of working in the MoD under a regime of pay cuts, increased pension contributions and working harder but facing the threat of the sack as the performance management arrangements take effect. The PUS blog is on the front page of the Defence Intranet; click on this and then click on reply and tell PUS what it is really like to work in the MoD today.
6. Between 3.00pm and 4.00pm – Sign in to the Defence Bulletin Board (DBB) and swamp it with posts about how you want and deserve a Fair Deal in Defence. All of the rooms on the DBB reflect our working life in the MoD so post how you want improvement in your working life. In other words, how you want a Fair Deal in Defence.

If you are a shift worker, part-time worker or have another alternative working pattern, we ask that you undertake the above actions in line with your working pattern.

Conclusion

Our union makes no apology if any or all of these actions disrupt the Ministry of Defence on 27 June. The MoD and this government have disrupted our working lives for too long. We have suffered pay restraint, pension contribution increases and assault after assault on our terms and conditions. It is time to make a protest and stand up to those in officialdom and say we want a Fair Deal in Defence.