Our Christmas raffle will be drawn on the 5th December so there's still time to get your tickets from your local PCS rep.
UNION RAFFLE - 1st PRIZE a NOOK 7" TABLET
The best in reading - now with the best Android
apps, games, movies, music & more
Over 700,000
Android apps & games on GooglePlay™. YouTube™, Google Maps™ &
Gmail™ and of course, the PCS Wigan app.
Chrome™ for super-fast web
browsing. Millions of books & magazines to choose from. Thousands of
popular movies & TV shows . Stunning high resolution 7"
display
Other prizes
- £20 Tesco voucher - Bottle of Brandy - Bottle of Whikey - Bottle of Vodka - Bottle of Gin
- Box of Lager - Box of Cidar - Bottle of Red Wine - Bottle of White Wine
Tickets can be purchased from your local PCS representaties.
The draw will take place on 5th December 2013.
Tickets cost £1.00 with funds raised going to the branch member hardship fund and a donation to our nominated charity.
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet?
Available now on the Google Play store.
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Learning at work day - Winners
26th November 2013
Winners
Guess the Marbles (165 ) -
Chris Calder (160)
Build a Bear – Louise
Atherton
BHSF wine - Joan Risley
Guess the Advertisements
1st Place - Jane Godwin
2nd Place –Active Living
3rd Place – Paula Potter
4th Place – Karen Chris & Lisa
A big thank you to everyone who took part
and contributed to the day
We have managed to raise £197.50
For the PCS hardship fund and the Brick
Apologies for the delayed start this
morning due to the late arrival from some of our providers
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Tuesday 26 November 2013
Monday 25 November 2013
#YWweek2013
Our Young Workers' Week runs from 25 November to 1 December.
The focus is on the recruitment, organising and development of young people into the trade union movement.
http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/about_pcs/young_members/index.cfm
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Wednesday 20 November 2013
Changes to member benefits for 2014
For 2014 we have made some significant changes to member benefits.
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
The paper diary has been replaced by a smartphone digital diary for 2014. Changes to the way Royal Mail charge for postage have significantly increased the cost of supplying members with a diary.
The cost had increased so much that in 2013 it was nearly double the amount PCS spends on legal advice on employment matters. With the government’s attacks on our members increasing every year, spending on campaigning, bargaining support, casework and employment tribunals have been prioritised.
Increased use of electronic diaries has also meant that there has been a decrease in the use of paper diaries. The digital diary, which is compatible with all smart mobile phones, will be regularly updated with news and events from around the union. These events can be easily added to electronic diaries and shared by email and social media with other members.
The PCS digital diary will provide the full range of updated information traditionally covered in the paper diary, and some new information. The digital diary will be available from the website and will be emailed and texted to members before Christmas.
Mobile phones
On 2 December we will introduce a new mobile phone offer, through ethical mobile company The People's Operator (TPO).
This will offer sim-only "pay as you go" and "pay monthly" deals. It will offer the UK's best unlimited deal, at £14.99 a month. An introductory offer to “pay monthly” PCS members will also give one month free. TPO will also provide an important communication tool, as it will be preloaded with the digital diary and other useful PCS information.
We will be publicising the TPO offer through PCS people, our website, email and text message.
For further information about member benefits contactmemberbenefits@pcs.org.uk
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Thursday 14 November 2013
DWP Young Members Advisory Committee
DWP Young Members Advisory Committee
The young members’ advisory committee also ensure that as well as
providing advice to the group executive committee on young member issues, they
take up campaign work on issues that have an impact on young people.
For several years now, the YMAC has organised an annual Young Members
Seminar for young members in the DWP. This centres around campaigning
organising and recruiting, and aims to give young members the skills to become
Branch young members’ officers and to gain contacts and confidence in taking on
the role.
Each year the YMAC decide on an organising plan, setting out the
objectives and priorities for the coming year.
This year, our priorities are to increase the number of Branch young
Members Officers and re-launch the Young Members Network with vigour and energy
and there are many new opportunities to get involved in PCS.
We also want to improve our communications as Young Members and use
resources like social media and external email. The DWP YMAC intends to have a
quarterly newsletter in order to update young members on the issues affecting
them in their workplaces.
We actively encourage young members to be involved in campaigning,
organising and recruitment at all levels- not just on Young Members Issues!
Finally in Early 2014, we will be holding a Young Members Seminar in Leeds, which will be open to all PCS Young Members in the DWP. Further notice of
this as soon as possible along with information on how to apply to attend, and
hope to see you there!
If you are interested in finding out more about the PCS DWP Young
members committee email leeds@pcs.org.uk
Steve Swainston
Group Young Members Officer
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Tuesday 12 November 2013
DWP Union News - 12th November 2013
To All PCS Members in DWP 12 November 2013
Independent Living Fund victory for disabled campaigners and PCS
On 6th November the Court of Appeal upheld a legal challenge by 5 disabled people against the government’s decision to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) in March 2015 because the DWP had breached equality duties when deciding to close the ILF.
The ILF provides support for 19,000 severely disabled people to live independent lives in the community.
The 100 PCS members who work in the ILF have been involved in campaigning with disability rights groups to stop the closure. PCS joined a vigil outside the High Court earlier this year to support disabled people challenging the closure.
Your DWP Group Executive Committee (GEC) will work with PCS members in the ILF, disabled people's and carers organisations and MP’s to protect our member’s jobs, protect vital services for disabled people and secure a long term future for the ILF.
PCS slams increase in sanctions and targets culture
PCS reacted angrily this week to a DWP report showing the latest figures on benefit sanctions in Jobcentres. The figures show a big increase in sanctions. PCS believes that sanctions are part of the governments’ general attack on the welfare state.
Job seekers face having their benefit stopped and forced to use food banks and loan sharks while PCS members, trained to use appropriate discretion and help people find work, face targets and PIP’s if they don’t apply enough sanctions.
PCS agrees with the concerns about sanctions raised by Members of Parliament on the public accounts committee (PAC) earlier this year. The PAC committee report points says that by obsessively applying sanctions to stop people claiming benefit, the department risks unfairly applying sanctions to get claimants to sign off. Senior managers admit they do not know what happens to 40% of people who stop claiming. The MP’s also said that while enquiries to CAB from jobseeker had reduced, enquiries about sanctions had risen by 45% and that these enquiries were overwhelmingly from vulnerable groups, people with learning disabilities or mental health problems.
PCS believes the sanctions regime damages the relationship between claimants and advisers, our members want to help people back into work not catch them out using an increasingly unfair and harsh system.
DWP insists that there are no sanctions targets set for PCS members working in jobcentres only expectations for management information purposes but members with years of experience who know how to help claimants find work are being hauled in for meetings for not applying enough sanctions. The GEC will continue to put evidence to management to get this stopped.
Festive leave in Pensions Directorate
PCS has successfully challenged the original 10% limit for annual leave imposed for January 2 & 3 in Pensions Directorate. Following representations by PCS, Pensions management have now agreed to remove this 10% limit and instead offer at least the standard 18 to 25 % on those days. Management have also said they hope to be able to increase the 25% limit to 33%, for the days up to New Years Day, subject to satisfactory performance figures being met for November.
Unfortunately however, for 2nd and 3rd January, PCS is aware that a message that has been cascaded to Pensions managers not to allow leave above 18% on those two days. PCS will continue to press management to allow more staff to take leave on these days.
PCS want Pensions management to allow the highest possible percentage across the whole of the Christmas and New Year period and the GEC will consult Pensions members as negotiations continue. The GEC regard the current position as still unsatisfactory and will do everything possible to negotiate a settlement. But it is clear that many PCS members are angry at management’s position. PCS members do not accept that there is a need for them to attend over the festive period in large numbers when there is little work to do.
Shared Services campaign continues
Action by PCS members working in Shared Services led to positive talks.
Following the privatisation on 1 November the PCS campaign to defend our jobs, safeguard our terms and conditions and stop off shoring continues just as strong.
PCS met with Steria/SSCL on 6 November. We made clear our opposition to privatisation and off shoring. The meeting was constructive.
At this meeting PCS and Steria/SSCL agreed –
1. Our shared objective is to work together to avoid compulsory redundancies.
2. We will have detailed negotiations about off shoring and seek to reach an agreement on job protection
3. Staff who are successful at interview for Civil Service posts will be released subject to notice periods etc.
4. We will aim to agree a formal PCS union recognition agreement for the whole company before Christmas.
5. SSCL will continue to collect Union subs from source
The GEC will be holding meetings with members in Shared Services to keep them informed and consult them as the talk’s progress.
You can help with a click
The privatisation of Shared Services means that the data containing your personal records will be privatised and sent abroad to be handled when DWP jobs are cut. If you are opposed to this you can click http://action.pcs.org.uk/page/speakout/save-our-shared-services and tell the government. Don’t use your work email to do this.
Steve Cawkwell Fran Heathcote
Group Secretary Group President
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Independent Living Fund victory for disabled campaigners and PCS
On 6th November the Court of Appeal upheld a legal challenge by 5 disabled people against the government’s decision to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) in March 2015 because the DWP had breached equality duties when deciding to close the ILF.
The ILF provides support for 19,000 severely disabled people to live independent lives in the community.
The 100 PCS members who work in the ILF have been involved in campaigning with disability rights groups to stop the closure. PCS joined a vigil outside the High Court earlier this year to support disabled people challenging the closure.
Your DWP Group Executive Committee (GEC) will work with PCS members in the ILF, disabled people's and carers organisations and MP’s to protect our member’s jobs, protect vital services for disabled people and secure a long term future for the ILF.
PCS slams increase in sanctions and targets culture
PCS reacted angrily this week to a DWP report showing the latest figures on benefit sanctions in Jobcentres. The figures show a big increase in sanctions. PCS believes that sanctions are part of the governments’ general attack on the welfare state.
Job seekers face having their benefit stopped and forced to use food banks and loan sharks while PCS members, trained to use appropriate discretion and help people find work, face targets and PIP’s if they don’t apply enough sanctions.
PCS agrees with the concerns about sanctions raised by Members of Parliament on the public accounts committee (PAC) earlier this year. The PAC committee report points says that by obsessively applying sanctions to stop people claiming benefit, the department risks unfairly applying sanctions to get claimants to sign off. Senior managers admit they do not know what happens to 40% of people who stop claiming. The MP’s also said that while enquiries to CAB from jobseeker had reduced, enquiries about sanctions had risen by 45% and that these enquiries were overwhelmingly from vulnerable groups, people with learning disabilities or mental health problems.
PCS believes the sanctions regime damages the relationship between claimants and advisers, our members want to help people back into work not catch them out using an increasingly unfair and harsh system.
DWP insists that there are no sanctions targets set for PCS members working in jobcentres only expectations for management information purposes but members with years of experience who know how to help claimants find work are being hauled in for meetings for not applying enough sanctions. The GEC will continue to put evidence to management to get this stopped.
Festive leave in Pensions Directorate
PCS has successfully challenged the original 10% limit for annual leave imposed for January 2 & 3 in Pensions Directorate. Following representations by PCS, Pensions management have now agreed to remove this 10% limit and instead offer at least the standard 18 to 25 % on those days. Management have also said they hope to be able to increase the 25% limit to 33%, for the days up to New Years Day, subject to satisfactory performance figures being met for November.
Unfortunately however, for 2nd and 3rd January, PCS is aware that a message that has been cascaded to Pensions managers not to allow leave above 18% on those two days. PCS will continue to press management to allow more staff to take leave on these days.
PCS want Pensions management to allow the highest possible percentage across the whole of the Christmas and New Year period and the GEC will consult Pensions members as negotiations continue. The GEC regard the current position as still unsatisfactory and will do everything possible to negotiate a settlement. But it is clear that many PCS members are angry at management’s position. PCS members do not accept that there is a need for them to attend over the festive period in large numbers when there is little work to do.
Shared Services campaign continues
Action by PCS members working in Shared Services led to positive talks.
Following the privatisation on 1 November the PCS campaign to defend our jobs, safeguard our terms and conditions and stop off shoring continues just as strong.
PCS met with Steria/SSCL on 6 November. We made clear our opposition to privatisation and off shoring. The meeting was constructive.
At this meeting PCS and Steria/SSCL agreed –
1. Our shared objective is to work together to avoid compulsory redundancies.
2. We will have detailed negotiations about off shoring and seek to reach an agreement on job protection
3. Staff who are successful at interview for Civil Service posts will be released subject to notice periods etc.
4. We will aim to agree a formal PCS union recognition agreement for the whole company before Christmas.
5. SSCL will continue to collect Union subs from source
The GEC will be holding meetings with members in Shared Services to keep them informed and consult them as the talk’s progress.
You can help with a click
The privatisation of Shared Services means that the data containing your personal records will be privatised and sent abroad to be handled when DWP jobs are cut. If you are opposed to this you can click http://action.pcs.org.uk/page/speakout/save-our-shared-services and tell the government. Don’t use your work email to do this.
Steve Cawkwell Fran Heathcote
Group Secretary Group President
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Friday 8 November 2013
December prize draw - £1 a ticket
UNION RAFFLE - 1st PRIZE a NOOK 7" TABLET
The best in reading - now with the best Android apps, games, movies, music & more
Over 700,000 Android apps & games on GooglePlay™. YouTube™, Google Maps™ & Gmail™ and of course, the PCS Wigan app.
Chrome™ for super-fast web browsing. Millions of books & magazines to choose from. Thousands of popular movies & TV shows . Stunning high resolution 7" display
Other prizes
- £20 Tesco voucher - Bottle of Brandy - Bottle of Whikey - Bottle of Vodka - Bottle of Gin
- Box of Lager - Box of Cidar - Bottle of Red Wine - Bottle of White Wine
Tickets can be purchased from your local PCS representaties.
The draw will take place on 5th December 2013.
Tickets cost £1.00 with funds raised going to the branch member hardship fund and a donation to our nominated charity.
(open to those within PCS DWP Wigan Branch)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet? Available now on the Google Play store.
Urgent - Want the government to know your a union member?
The government's controversial Lobbying Bill is currently in the Lords, as Andrew Lansley attempts to push it through Parliament against overwhelming public opposition.
Part one of the Bill fails to introduce a comprehensive register of lobbyists. Part two is a chilling attack on the free speech of groups other than political parties during elections. Unions are just one part of the wide coalition that has forced the government to ‘pause’ consideration of this.
But this means that the Lords debate on part three of the Bill has been brought forward to next Monday.
Action on this is urgent. Please read on to find out more about this attack on trade unionism and how you can help resist it.
Part three of the Bill regulates trade union membership (even though there is already a strong legal duty on unions to hold accurate membership data, which in any case is in their own interest).
But what is really worrying is that this adds up to real risks about the confidentiality of trade union membership. Of course we are proud to be trade unionists, but recent revelations about blacklisting show that employers still discriminate against union members.
The Bill will give the Certification Officer – a regulator appointed by the government – new powers to access membership records. Unions will have to appoint a membership assurer – from a list chosen by the government – who will have new powers to access membership records. Anyone will now be able to make complaints about union membership records – even employers in dispute with a union – or those with an anti-union political agenda. Those complaints will be assessed by investigators who also get new powers to pry into union membership records.
Of course the government claim that there will be safeguards, but when the full extent of the construction blacklisting scandal has yet to be investigated, we simply can't trust them with a change of this significance.
We welcome the pause in part two, but it means the government has rushed forward part 3 from consideration in December to next Monday November 11 which means we have not had the time to brief Peers properly or even make sure all of those on our side will be there.
We need to move quickly. Please help ensure the Lords are ready for this hastily called vote.
Adopt a Peer
You can help raise concerns about part three of the Lobbying Bill by writing to a member of the House of Lords. They aren't as used to individual lobbying as MPs, so receiving personal contacts from members of the public should really get their attention.
Of course, one of the reasons they don't get much contact is that they don't have a direct group of constituents. We can help get around this, using this tool to adopt a Peer. We'll match you at random to a member of the House of Lords and help you to contact them, either directly with a posted letter if you have time, or by email.
To get started, add your email address here:
http://www.goingtowork.org.uk/peers/?campaign=9
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet?
Part one of the Bill fails to introduce a comprehensive register of lobbyists. Part two is a chilling attack on the free speech of groups other than political parties during elections. Unions are just one part of the wide coalition that has forced the government to ‘pause’ consideration of this.
But this means that the Lords debate on part three of the Bill has been brought forward to next Monday.
Action on this is urgent. Please read on to find out more about this attack on trade unionism and how you can help resist it.
Part three of the Bill regulates trade union membership (even though there is already a strong legal duty on unions to hold accurate membership data, which in any case is in their own interest).
But what is really worrying is that this adds up to real risks about the confidentiality of trade union membership. Of course we are proud to be trade unionists, but recent revelations about blacklisting show that employers still discriminate against union members.
The Bill will give the Certification Officer – a regulator appointed by the government – new powers to access membership records. Unions will have to appoint a membership assurer – from a list chosen by the government – who will have new powers to access membership records. Anyone will now be able to make complaints about union membership records – even employers in dispute with a union – or those with an anti-union political agenda. Those complaints will be assessed by investigators who also get new powers to pry into union membership records.
Of course the government claim that there will be safeguards, but when the full extent of the construction blacklisting scandal has yet to be investigated, we simply can't trust them with a change of this significance.
We welcome the pause in part two, but it means the government has rushed forward part 3 from consideration in December to next Monday November 11 which means we have not had the time to brief Peers properly or even make sure all of those on our side will be there.
We need to move quickly. Please help ensure the Lords are ready for this hastily called vote.
Adopt a Peer
You can help raise concerns about part three of the Lobbying Bill by writing to a member of the House of Lords. They aren't as used to individual lobbying as MPs, so receiving personal contacts from members of the public should really get their attention.
Of course, one of the reasons they don't get much contact is that they don't have a direct group of constituents. We can help get around this, using this tool to adopt a Peer. We'll match you at random to a member of the House of Lords and help you to contact them, either directly with a posted letter if you have time, or by email.
To get started, add your email address here:
http://www.goingtowork.org.uk/peers/?campaign=9
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet?
Friday 1 November 2013
Universal credit: £120m could be written off to rescue welfare reform
Labour says ministers in disarray as leaked documents reveal two options for saving project to merge benefits and tax credits.
Ministers attempting to put the troubled universal credit welfare reform programme back on track have been presented with a radical plan to restart the scheme and write off £119m of work over the past three years.
The proposals would create a much more web-based system, reducing the need for jobcentre staff, but putting the whole scheme back to "phase one".
The plan is detailed in more than 150 pages of leaked documents that present two options for rescuing the huge project to merge six major benefits and tax credits into one payment. The other plan would attempt to improve the existing system and build on the investment already made. Both plans were drawn up by civil servants at the direction of Department for Work and Pensions ministers.
The documents include a risk assessment of each option, which criticises both plans and warns that a maximum of 25,000 people – just 0.2% of all benefit recipients – will be transferred on to the programme by the next general election, whichever route is taken.
The risk assessment warns that the plan to start again, the "design and build" web-based scheme, is "unproven ... at this scale". It says the plan to fix three years of work on universal credit is still "not achievable within the preferred timescales", describing it as unrealistic.
The scheme has suffered management and computer problems since work began in 2010, causing Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, at the start of the year to push back the timetable for rollout. Labour says the scheme is in "total chaos".
Continue reading at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/31/universal
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet?
Ministers attempting to put the troubled universal credit welfare reform programme back on track have been presented with a radical plan to restart the scheme and write off £119m of work over the past three years.
The proposals would create a much more web-based system, reducing the need for jobcentre staff, but putting the whole scheme back to "phase one".
The plan is detailed in more than 150 pages of leaked documents that present two options for rescuing the huge project to merge six major benefits and tax credits into one payment. The other plan would attempt to improve the existing system and build on the investment already made. Both plans were drawn up by civil servants at the direction of Department for Work and Pensions ministers.
The documents include a risk assessment of each option, which criticises both plans and warns that a maximum of 25,000 people – just 0.2% of all benefit recipients – will be transferred on to the programme by the next general election, whichever route is taken.
The risk assessment warns that the plan to start again, the "design and build" web-based scheme, is "unproven ... at this scale". It says the plan to fix three years of work on universal credit is still "not achievable within the preferred timescales", describing it as unrealistic.
The scheme has suffered management and computer problems since work began in 2010, causing Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, at the start of the year to push back the timetable for rollout. Labour says the scheme is in "total chaos".
Continue reading at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/31/universal
Downloaded our FREE Android app yet?
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