Government Launches Attack On Union Safety Reps In PCS

The Tory-led coalition is known, if only for one thing, and that is their hatred of Trade Unions and workers rights.

Now in a final attempt to minimise trade union membership, certainly within the civil service and public sector as a whole; the government intend to STOP all union subscriptions being taken from union member’s wages via the payroll process!

The threat to Union Safety Reps is one of the aims of this decision by the government, simply because unless a USR is aware of it, his/her union subscriptions could cease without notification; rendering his/her position void, resulting in the loss of any facility time.

Within many civil service departments, full time and part time union release is a major issue that the government wishes to clamp down on. For example in the HMRC it takes permission at ministerial level with regards to trade union officials having time off work to fulfil their union duties. There has recently been a massive cut in trade union facility time generally, but specifically on those with full time release.

With the current attitude that health and safety protection at work is pure red tape and a burden on business; it is clear that once an individual loses their trade union post facilities, it will be much harder to get them back again.

The risk to ALL Union Safety Reps, and not just those of the PCS; is quite clear. For what the Government does in terms of industrial relations, the private sector is sure to follow. Further, in the name of business and maximising profits the government will no doubt urge all companies to follow their example and remove the facility to have union membership deductions taken direct form payroll.

The PCS has launched a campaign amongst its membership asking everyone to transfer over to a direct debit from their bank accounts to prevent a massive loss of membership, despite the fact that some loss of membership is inevitable as a consequence of this Government action.

The risk to the wider trade union movement and its USRs cannot be underestimated.

Source: Unionsafety / PCS

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