Equalities and Human Rights staff on strike this Thursday, 23rd February

The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) PCS National Branch have called another half day strike on the morning of Thursday 23rd February. The strike is the latest in a 10-month campaign against the near dismantling of the commission and the resultant reduction in headcount from over 400 staff to as low as 150.
PCS members at the EHRC will stage a half-day strike against job cuts, closures and privatisation.
Three short strikes were held last summer, but subsequent talks proved fruitless, and last week we were told to expect deeper and faster cuts resulting in even more job losses and outsourcing this year.
The EHRC Chair, Trevor Phillips, has been promoting his 'vision' for a equality body which no longer delivers any public services since early 2010. A 72% jobs cut (compared with 2007) means that over 200 experienced regional, casework and advice staff will face the scrapheap, whilst the Commission continues to retain highly paid management consultants to implement the Chair's change programme.
Our members believe that no more tax payers money should be wasted on another costly restructuring exercise; every penny of our budget should now be spent helping the victims of discrimination and promoting a culture where all are equal and the human rights of all are respected.
There will be picket lines at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday 23 February until noon, in the midlands there will be a picket in Birmingham outside Lancaster House, 67 Newhall Street.
PCS would be grateful if you could bring this dispute to the attention of your local Branches, especially those who may be able to arrange solidarity visits to picket lines.
further information can be obtained from Andrew Lloyd, PCS Regional Secretary on 0121 643 4342, or email ANDREWL@pcs.org.uk
Thanks for your support

DVLA staff protest on Valentine’s Day over massacre of public services

In response to the government’s plans to close DVLA's 39 local and enforcement offices around the UK, putting 1,200 jobs at risk, PCS members are taking part in a campaign to save their jobs and to preserve the provision of important services locally across DVLA’s network of offices in England, Wales and Scotland.

At present the future of the offices are subject to a public consultation, with DVLA’s preference being that all offices close, and the services are centralised, put on line or provided by third part intermediaries.
Commenting, Dave Cliff, PCS DVLA National Officer said, "As the consultation proceeds, it is clear that the proposals for replacing local offices are based on what DVLA would like to be able to provide its customers, not what service DVLA is going to be able to provide its customers. PCS believes that many of the proposed replacement services represent a retrograde step to the service currently provided by the existing offices.”

There will be a demo today outside DVLA offices around the country between 12.30 and 1.30, including.

Northampton: Bedford Rd, Ground Floor Riverside House, Riverside Way, Northampton, NN1 5PE.

Nottingham: Nottingham Business Park, Unit D, Orchard Place, Off Woodhouse Way, Nottingham, NG86PX

Tax advisers strike to stop creep of privatisation

A strike by PCS members will see picket lines mounted at tax offices as tens of thousands of taxpayers seek advice about filing their self assessment returns tomorrow.

The one-day walkout is in opposition to year-long call handling trials using two private sector companies, Sitel and Teleperformance, due to start next month in two enquiry centres in Cumbria and Scotland.

Up to 20,000 members of the union who work in HM Revenue and Customs call centres and face to face enquiry offices across the UK are expected to take part, the union says.

While people will still be able to file returns online, enquiry lines will be closed or seriously delayed for the tens of thousands of people who will use the service on the day to get help and advice.

The union believes the trials are unnecessary as the skills and expertise already exists in the department, and set a dangerous precedent of allowing the private sector in. One of companies involved has advertised posts for the trial as 'permanent' and at a rate of pay several thousand pounds less a year than the civil servants doing the same work are paid.

If HMRC wants to trial new ways of working, the union says HMRC should invest in its own staff, instead of pressing ahead with plans to cut another 10,000 jobs by 2015 - on top of the 30,000 that have gone from the department since 2005. HMRC last week announced plans to close more advice offices.

This would mean the government could make a serious attempt at tackling the tens of billions of pounds in tax that goes uncollected every year from a minority of very wealthy individuals and organisations that avoid or evade paying their dues.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Our members in tax offices want to do a good job and provide the best possible advice and help to taxpayers, but there are fewer of them working in fewer offices as a result of misguided and damaging cuts.

"Instead of making even more cuts and throwing public money at private companies, ministers should be investing in their staff and tackling the billions in tax avoided and evaded by the super-rich."

Reprinted from the PCS website. View original article here:

http://www.pcs.org.uk/

Equalities and Human Rights staff take action

Employees at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission took strike action today against proposals to cut funding by 68% and staffing by 66%. Workers at the Birmingham office and call centre took to the streets to make their point. Boosted by support from the public and passing motorists workers commited to fighting cuts which will mean closing the public helpline which advises people of their rights and will mena the closure of regional offices.
One worker on the picket line said, "It is not just about our jobs, it is about support for the public at a time when they are facing discrimination and are having a really hard time. The services we provide may not get headlines but are invaluable to the thousands of people who rely on the EHRC for justice."
You can show your support for EHRC staff and the work thye do by signing the online petition at: gopetition.com/petition/43944.html
Alternatively sign up to the Facebook page, "Save the Equality and Human Rights Commission" or email your MP and Trevor Phillips via the PCS website at: www.pcs.org.uk/ehrc

EHRC staff to take action against proposed cuts

PCS and Unite are looking for support for the first industrial action supporting staff at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission who are facing unprecedented cuts to staff and services.
Recent media coverage has reported that staff at the EHRC voted overwhelmingly in favour 1 hour strikes over plans which would effectively close the Commission ending most of its advice services to the public and communities. Our first day of action is a one-hour walkout on 4 May at 11am –12pm.
We are now asking our partners to join us for this first day of action in support of our campaign to save the Commission for future generations.
The government has already announced it is withdrawing funding for the Commission’s helpline and grants programme and the Commission has also decided to close its regional offices, including the office based in Birmingham covering the West Midlands Region. These decisions will take effect by March 2012.
At a time of unprecedented cuts that will hit the most vulnerable in society hardest I'm sure you'll agree that it is vital to show the government that we will stand together to protect this vital service.
Where to meet:
We will be assembling at 11am – 12pm at the rear entrance to the Commission's Birmingham office, (EHRC 3rd Floor Lancaster House, 67 Newhall Street, B3 1NA) on the public footpath (on the corner).

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is proposing to more than halve the number of staff from 460 to 200 within 12 months – PCS is calling on EHRC chair Trevor Phillips to reveal his plans for the future of the organisation, challenging him to define the ‘core functions’ which he claims will be protected. The government is currently consulting over the Commission’s future and is proposing to amend the Equality Act 2006 to strip the Commission of many of its key powers and duties.
When the Commission was formed in 2007 its budget was £70 million. This was later reduced to £60 million, then £53 million by the new government last year. The government now wants to cut funding down to £22.5 million by 2015.
Cuts on this scale would mean employers and public authorities would no longer be held to account if they carried out discriminatory policies, and would also effectively end the commission’s legal work – a recent example of which ensured six million carers in Britain are protected against discrimination in employment.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members are experts in their fields and this strike vote shows they are prepared to fight to maintain a proper national equality and human rights body at a time when government cuts are making it more likely people will face discrimination and disadvantage. “We do not accept the need for these cuts and the commission should talk to us urgently about the alternatives which would end the need for a strike and protect the vital services our members provide.”

If you can't join us on the day there are many other ways to support our campaign:
• Ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 923 to safeguard the remit, funding and staffing of the EHRC
• write to Theresa May MP, Minister for Women and Equality and other Minsters you or your organisation may have close links with asking them to maintain the EHRC functions servicing the communities.
• Sign the petition http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43944.html. Please sign the online petition against EHRC cuts and ask your friends & family to sign.
MINISTERS THAT YOU MAY WISH TO APPROACH
The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 5206
mayt@parliament.uk 
geo.corres@geo.gsi.gov.uk
Lynne Featherstone MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 8401
featherstonel@parliament.uk
Lynne.Featherstone@geo.gsi.gov.uk
Naturally, you may have your own contacts whom you may wish to approach. We hope we can rely on your support in these very difficult and uncertain times.
Also you will be interested to know that the Government have started their public consultation into the future of the EHRC and PCS will be shortly producing a draft response which people can use should they wish to do so. The consultation can be found here: http://www.equalities.gov.uk/what_we_do/ehrc_reform.aspx

PCS action at Jobcentre Plus call centres

PCS held a one day strike at Jobcentre Plus call centres at five locations across the midlands today (Monday)
The dispute is about working conditions and customer service issues. A picket at Coventry today said, "this dispute is not about pay or holidays, it's about how management treat the staff, and how we have to treat the public. As far as management are concerned we have to met targets - but the targets don't mean anything and can lead to our clients getting a poor service at a time when they already stressed and worried".
Pickets were out in Derby, Nottignham, Lincoln, Telford and Coventry (pictured).

Job Centre call centre staff name strike date

Andrew Lloyd, PCS Regional Secretary for the Midlands

Thousands of Jobcentre Plus call centre staff will strike on 18 April after bosses refused to improve working conditions and customer service.

In a ballot of the union’s 7,000 members in JCP’s 37 call centres across the country, 70% of those who took part voted for strike action. The turnout was 43%.
Following this strong result, the union agreed not to call any industrial action to allow negotiations to continue. But senior managers have shown little willingness to resolve the dispute.
The action will follow a well-supported two-day strike in January by more than 2,000 workers in JCP’s seven newest contact centres who have been forcibly moved from processing benefit claims to handling enquiries by phone.
The union wants to improve the levels of customer service in call centres; end the target driven culture, particularly by changing the way unrealistic ‘average call times’ are used; and introduce proper flexible working arrangements.
For further information and details of where the midlands call centres are located visit: http://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial/tuc-19473-f0.cfm?regional=6

Further information from PCS Regional Secretary, Andrew Lloyd, Tel: 0121 643 4342