This year the MoD Group Conference was held in the Holiday Inn which was a long trek from the Group hotel. Business started at 9 in the morning and finished at 5.30 in the evening with an hour for lunch. Once again I was on the Standing Orders Committee which ensures the conference runs smoothly. The conference wasn’t very lively and most motions were carried without a debate.
Some of the key motions that were put to the conference:
Anti Cuts
The Group Executive Committee (GEC) raised a motion that highlighted the significant reduction of staffing level since New Labour came into power. It also mentioned the independant review of MoD civil servants that is headed by Gerry Grimstone which will lead to more cuts.
The motion called for the following:
- a new redundancy and pre-redundancy process to be put in place
- an agreement to be negotiated that ensures the re-deployment pool is managed correctly
- to resist attempts of enforced mobility
- protection of members from compulsory redundancy when their work is privatised
- to ensure greater accountability and scrutiny in respect of the equipment program
- to campaign to end wasteful privatisation
The motion was carried without debate.
Atracting New Members
The motion called on the GEC to invest time, publicity and funds to ensure that there was a full network of regional committees to support and mentor activists at a branch level.
This motion was heavily debated and ultimately the branch agreed to remit the motion and allow the GEC to look into the issue.
Standard PCS Logo
This motion called for the standard PCS logo to be used on all official communications to ensure that it didn’t look like the Group was operating independently from the National body. After a heated debate the motion was lost.
Defence Training Review
This motion instructed the GEC to campaign against the Department working towards getting approval for package 1 of the Defence Training Review prior to the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review. This motion was carried.
Other issues discussed were; constitutional amendments, anti-cuts, pay, organisation, industrial relations, equality & diversity, campaigning & privatisation, MoD Guard Service, environment, terms & conditions, personnel, policy and recruitment, learning & training, staff surplus and valedictory. The list of motions can be found here.
The outcome of the motions is as follows: A1 – carried, A2 – carried, A3 – carried, A4 – carried, A5 – carried, A6 – carried, A7 – carried, A8 – carried, A9 – Remitted, A10 – carried, A11 – carried, A12 – Lost, A13 – carried, A14 – carried, A15 – remitted, A16 – carried, A17 carried, A18 – carried, A19 – carried, A20 – carried, A21 – carried, A22 – carried, A23 – carried, A24 – carried, A25 – carried, A26 – remitted, A27 carried, A28 – remitted, A29 carried, A30 – carried, A31 – carried, A32 – carried, A33 – carried, A34 – carried, A35 – carried, A36 – carried, A37 – carried, A38 – carried, A39 – carried, A40 – carried, A41 – carried, A42 – carried, A43 – carried, A44 – carried, A45 – remitted, A46 – carried, A47 – carried, A48 – carried, A55 – carried and A59 carried.
In addition to the motions and debating there was also a session on organising around and industrial dispute. Everyone was encouraged to join in and share experiences and successes from the recent industrial action.
The outcome of the motions is as follows: A1 – carried, A2 – carried, A3 – carried, A4 – carried, A5 – carried, A6 – carried, A7 – carried, A8 – carried, A9 – Remitted, A10 – carried, A11 – carried, A12 – Lost, A13 – carried, A14 – carried,
Glad I know that now, Cherie – it was much on my mind.
I am sure you weren’t loosing any sleep over it…
Cherie, don’t quite get it – loosing, meaning releasing sleep?
It should read losing…
We are looking at tough times. Civil Servants will need the PCS like they never have before
Yes there are tough times ahead, lets hope everyone is equal to it.
Your reply to Jams was a good one.
People tend to get demoralised and give up when the going gets tough. But that is the time when you should steel your resolve and keep going.
It’s very though here too for Civil Servants. The problem is that none of them are fighters. Only a few have the energy to resist incredible put-downs. They’re afraid that departments will be closed, and that they will be replaced by agency workers.
A lot of our people won’t speak out either because they are afraid they will be next for the chop if they do. They don’t realise that if enough people speak out and stand together that can’t happen. We have agency workers too, they are taken on instead of permanent staff. It is a cheap way of employing people and they are easy to be got rid of.