The reports we have had from MoD establishments throughout the country has the same message repeating itself over and over again – very few, if any PCS members went to work in the MoD today. Indeed, we signed up numerous new PCS members either on the picket lines today or in the days preceding today’s action.
Reps saw a particular swell in membership after MoD management withdrew from the Fair Deal negotiations and the recent implementation of the detrimental performance management arrangements.
From the feedback we have had from picket lines at almost every main MoD location, we estimate that in excess of 10,000 members have taken action today and supported our union in our fight for a Fair Deal in Defence.
Whilst we have lost approximately 2,000 members since the SDSR announcement in the autumn of 2010, this is dwarfed by the fact that in the same period, the Ministry of Defence has lost over 25,000 civilians. Therefore, while our union may be slightly smaller, we have a much larger membership density and this makes action such as today all the more powerful.
The Ministry of Defence is struggling to function on a day-to-day basis when PCS members are at work; when we are not, the department is brought to its knees. However today we were left with little choice but to take action. We have an employer who foists pay restraint accompanied with pension contribution increases; an employer who thinks it is OK to sack 1 in 20 but then walk away from negotiations that will improve the working lives of their staff and an employer who hides behind central government policy because it is easier to do that than value their own staff.
Once again, many thanks to every PCS member in our group who has taken action today. You have made a stand and should rightly be proud of yourself by doing so.
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