PCS Left Unity Landslide

IN THE elections for the National Executive Committee (NEC) and senior full-time officers in the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the left won almost a clean sweep when the results were announced on 24 May.

Socialist Party member Chris Baugh won the election for assistant deputy general secretary. This was the first time this post was ever put up for election, as a result of rule changes introduced by the left majority last year.

Janice Godrich was re-elected union president and six other Socialist Party members were also elected to the NEC.

Left Unity, the union's broad left, were swept back into office as part of their election platform with the democrats, against the remnants of the 'moderates' faction.

This is the first time in decades that the left have been re-elected. Under the left's leadership the union has recruited thousands of new members, including 10,000 in the Department for Work and Pensions.

The union leadership showed in action that the old right-wing policies of class collaboration were a thing of the past. They created confidence amongst PCS members in their fight-back against New Labour's attacks on their wages, jobs and working conditions.

The PCS has become a major thorn in Tony Blair's side as he tries to carry through his programme of counter-reforms in the public sector.

The union will now have to gear up at an even greater rate than ever before if these attacks are to be repelled. But the left's re-election shows the membership is willing to fight.

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In The Socialist 29 May 2004:

The Real Cost Of War