In the days leading up to the industrial action on 8 and 9 March, the department wrote to our union asking for exemptions to the industrial action in certain areas of the Ministry of Defence. Whilst our union has this list, we will not be publishing it, as we firmly believe every single PCS member in the Ministry of Defence is of value to the department.The list is extremely useful, however and we will be using it in future, but for different reasons to those intended by MoD management!
It is extremely significant that by sending us the list and asking for exemptions, the department is admitting that certain functions and certain personnel within the MoD are absolutely vital. There are undoubtedly some jobs that support the front line more directly than others, but whether you are a guard at Walker House in Liverpool, a PPPA case advisor in Bath or the permanent under secretary in Main Building, London, every civilian worker in our department contributes to the support to the front line.
However, every single civilian worker in our department is also affected by the proposed changes to the civil service compensation scheme (CSCS). The MoD have not written to the Cabinet Office with the list of what they deem to be essential personnel asking for exemption to the changes proposed to the CSCS. The MoD is quite happy to ask for exemptions and goodwill from our union, but is unwilling to safeguard the very members it wants exempted!!
Therefore, our union will be granting no exemptions in the industrial action on 24 March. Loyal, hardworking MoD employees are having their loyalty and dedication firmly thrown back in their faces by an uncaring, yet deceitful employer.
Every PCS member will now be aware of the privatisation and job cuts agenda being put forward as manifesto pledges by all of the mainstream political parties. If and when any of these proposals reach fruition, we will be cross-referencing the threatened areas with the list of exemptions requested by MoD management to this industrial action.
If we find a single job that is threatened, we will ask a simple question – if these members of staff are so important to the Ministry of Defence that they need exempted from industrial action, why are you now selling them off or pushing them out the door?
Finally, please make non-members aware of the threat to their compensation scheme entitlements and ask them to join our union. We appeal to every branch and member to consider what they can do to help our union become stronger. We have proven that when we stand together we can resist attacks from the employer and defend our jobs. Make sure everyone where you are is in our union and is prepared to stand up and defend our entitlements and our jobs.
THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES; ALL OUT ON 24 MARCH - NO JOB CUTS ON THE CHEAP.
