Speaking at the Birmingham rally

Next up is Kit Armstrong, regional Secretary of the NUT in the west midlands. Kit says her members are facing very similar attacks to PCS members.

Young people are bearing the brunt of our jobs crisis, says TUC

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures published today (Wednesday) by the Office for National Statistics, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady, pictured above,  said:

“Today’s figures confirm our fears that economic stagnation has finally caught up with the jobs market.

“Young people are bearing the brunt of our jobs crisis, with the number of unemployed youngsters up 48,000 and approaching a million again.

“The news for those in work is not much better, with the gap between wages and the rising cost of living growing even wider.

“We won’t see a proper recovery in the jobs market until we get growth back into the economy. That’s why the Chancellor must change course and prioritise jobs, growth and living standards in his Budget today.”

PCS members on strike outside the Job Centre in Chesterfield. Looks like they have avoided the snow that pickets are having to endure just down the road in Nottingham!

Message of support from Midlands TUC to striking PCS members

"The Midlands TUC sends its support and solidarity to the thousands of PCS members taking industrial action today in defence of their terms and conditions
Today George Osborne will announce yet more pain for the most vulnerable in society, whilst the dedicated civil service workers who tirelessly work to support the vulnerable are forced into taking action.
This government is out of touch with the public and out of touch with its workforce. Their attempts to railroad changes to terms and conditions without talking to PCS is shameful.
Let this action be a notice to the Government to get back around the table and talk to PCS to resolve the dispute"

Best wishes

Rob Johnston

Regional Secretary

Midlands TUC

Birmingham Netroots gets underway!

The Birmingham Netroots meeting has started with introductions from Katharine Segal and Ravi Subramanian. Ravi, pictured, has emphasised the need to up our game on online campaigning.

Loads of people have arrived from all sorts of different backgrounds and experience, looks like its going to be a great day!

Dwayne shines at pre budget rally

Dwayne Foster, above, a member of the Midlands TUC "Future that Works" campaign team spoke at the pre budget rally held in London earlier this week. Dwayne's speech says it all - and is reprinted below.

 

Good evening.

My name is Dwayne Foster.

I’m 21 and I am unemployed.

In Dudley where I live over one in ten young people are jobless.

I’ve been struggling to find quality work for 2 years now - even although I have qualifications.

Employers say I lack the experience but it is hard to get the experience when nobody will give you a chance.

It is hard to find work when local businesses are closing.

It is hard to find work when you are competing with graduates for basic, entry-level jobs.

Today I heard that 2,500 people have applied for 22 jobs near me at the DFS store in Merry Hill.

I want to go to university and study social science and psychology but with tuition fees going up I can’t see this happening.

Young people like me need the government to help, so we can move on with our lives.

We need quality work experience, where you learn skills that will benefit you in the workplace.

We need better apprenticeships that lead to jobs and that pay more than £2.65 an hour.

We need schemes like the Education Maintenance Allowance to be brought back.

It is not right that young people are now being discouraged from going to college because they are afraid they won’t have enough money for travel or even food.

The government needs to listen and understand the obstacles young people are facing.

If you receive the JSA like I do you have to be willing to travel 90 minutes to work or for an interview.

This means relying on public transport which is becoming more and more expensive. This means having less money to pay for other things.

Young people like me don’t want something for nothing. We are willing to work hard, to put the effort in.

I want to earn enough to build a future for myself, to support a family.

But how can I realistically achieve this when my options are being narrowed by the day?

Before you cut any more, Mr Osborne, think about this.

Thank you

PCS Industrial Action - 20 March, Budget Day.

 

PCS will take national strike action on Wednesday 20th March, to coincide with the Budget day.
 

This action is in response to the government's continued cuts to the public service, and in a more brutal way in the civil service. As well as the job cuts that the whole public sector is facing, along with the 1% pay restrictions, there are even more attacks taking place in the civil service, including the a complete re-drawing of every single term and condition that is currently in operation.

 

This will inevitably mean a reduction in holidays but an increase in absence trigger points leading to dismissal more quickly. These are just two significant changes there are many more. Departmental ministers, the Cabinet office, and the government are refusing to talk to the PCS in any meaningful way about these changes that will be imposed.

In response there will be a series of industrial action days, half days and stoppages. the first of these will be the 20th March.  Picket lines will be in operation from 7.30am and followed by rallies at:

 

- Birmingham, 12.30 Conservatoire by Chamberlain Square. Contact 0121 6434342

- Nottingham, 12,30 Market Square, Contact Pete Collier 07979700619

- Leicester, 11.30 Nottingham Oddfellows, Contact Martin Page, 07951638814

- Stoke, 11.00 Albion Square, Hanley, Contact Peter Rofe, 07740868319

- Lincoln, 12.00 Speakers Corner, Lincoln High Street, Contact Nick Parker, 07793682201

- Northampton, Contact Martyn Collins, 07963704540

 

People are invited to join PCS members on the picket lines and at the rallies

 

Messages of support would be apprecietd and will be read out at rallies. In addition, any  financial contributions would be warmly appreciated.

 

Messages of support and donations can be forwarded to Andrew Lloyd at the PCS Midlands office, 16 Waterloo street, Birmingham B2 5UG, any email messages and questions can be sent to chrisp@pcs.org.uk

Telephone contact - PCS office 0121, 6434342

See link and attached pages for further information. http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/national-campaigns/action-now/index.cfm