PCS election: Increased majority for Democracy Alliance

PCS strikers (Click to enlarge)

Marion Lloyd, Left Unity chair and PCS executive committee member (personal capacity)

PCS reps and activists will be gathering in Brighton on 23 May at this year's annual delegates conference, which takes place in the middle of the general election campaign.

The PCS Democracy Alliance (Left Unity and PCS Democrats) has secured an increased majority in the 2017 PCS elections. When the ballot closed on 11 May 34 Democracy Alliance candidates had been elected.

Reelected

A number of Socialist Party members were elected to the executive committee this year - Janice Godrich for the fifteenth time as president and Fran Heathcote, newly elected as vice president. Mark Baker, Marion Lloyd, John McInally, Katrine Williams were also elected. Unfortunately Chris Morrison lost out by a handful of votes.

Left Unity is the rank-and-file organisation within PCS which puts forward socialist ideas and stands for an independent and democratic union with a fighting leadership. This leadership is faced with a huge challenge over the next 12 months.

But it remains confident about meeting these challenges and continuing to defend jobs, services and conditions, fighting in the best interests of our members and wherever possible linking up with other unions.

Left Unity believes the general election is an opportunity to kick out the Tories. Left Unity would welcome the election of a Corbyn-led government on an anti-austerity programme. No doubt these themes will be discussed at conference.

Socialist Party PCS annual delegates meeting public meeting: 'How Corbyn could win with socialist policies'. At end of conference Tuesday 23 May in Gresham Suite, Old Ship Hotel. Speakers: Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary, and Terry Adams ex-CPSA/PCS official (a friend and comrade of John Macreadie who was victim of Thatcher's state surveillance). Chair: Janice Godrich PCS president (personal capacity)
Official PCS National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) fringe meeting: 'Fighting back under the Trade Union Act': lunchtime Wednesday 24 May in Syndicate 1 room at the Brighton Centre. Speakers: Chris Baugh, PCS assistant general secretary, Fran Heathcote, PCS department for work and pensions president and newly elected national vice-president, and Rob Williams, NSSN national chair. Chair: Katrine Williams, PCS Wales chair

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.