Bristol job centre workers fight transfer
Last Friday the civil servants' union, PCS held a meeting in Fishponds, Bristol attended by workers from Job Centre Plus. They were angry at plans for them and other benefit delivery workers to be transferred to call centre work.
This would mean staff taking on work that they would not be adequately trained for and over time would lead to a deskilling of the workforce. Speaking against this, John McInally, PCS vice-president and Socialist Party member, exposed the government's claims that it would improve benefit delivery to claimants. Currently in Bristol calls are handled in the same office as the processing of claims. Under the new proposals claims would be passed between different offices around the country, potentially delaying the process by a few days. The real reasons for this attack include making it easier to privatise the service.
As a prospective candidate for the new Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) I explained how TUSC was set up to provide a genuine alternative in the general election to the big business parties. There was a good response to this and the idea that trade unions like the PCS need political representation as well as being prepared to fight on as a union.
Tom Baldwin
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In The Socialist 10 February 2010:
Unison general secretary election
Fighting leadership needed in Unison - Nominate Roger Bannister for general secretary
Greenwich Unison backs victimised branch secretary
Socialist Party news and analysis
Preying on the living and dead
Waltham Forest: Campaigners score a victory
Fiddling MPs: Jail the whole lot of them!
Vulnerable lose out on benefits
Socialist Women: Fighting for equality through socialism
Socialist Party workplace news
Civil service strike ballot: Vote 'yes' for action
Boycotting the 2010 SATS in schools
Coventry youth workers' strike
Stoke: Axiom workers in overtime ban
Saving jobs and services in Worcestershire
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
TUSC: Wellingborough socialists make a stand
PCS young members
PCS young members network conference
Bristol job centre workers fight transfer
Socialist Party feature
Trade unions in Britain - are they ready for the coming battles?
International socialist news and analysis
Northern Ireland: An agreement to cement division
Sri Lanka President Rajapakse removes his rival, Fonseka
Tamil Solidarity -: Successful northern conference
Unison witchhunt
War and occupation
Armed forces: Release Lance-Corporal Joe Glenton
Trade union rights for service personnel
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