Despite all the evidence showing that the continuing industrial action is (a) having no effect on the Government and (b) is leading to lower turnouts of members as each of the piecemeal strikes take place the PCS Grandees led by Mark Serwotka are hell bent on carrying on regardless.
Next week a series of regional strikes are due to be held in the two largest Government Departments, the HMRC and the DWP. Members where in clear despair when they discovered they were being called on yet again to lose yet another days pay for what they increasingly see as being for "no good reason", even some of the more "hard core" members are questioning the continuation of the dispute.
With barely a third of members having participated at the height of the strike, the numbers are now clearly set to decline as in addition to one day strikes next week, PCS has also announced a further national one day strike at the end of June.
There was even consternation amongst many PCS reps on the ground, who whilst "loyally" handing out leaflets for next week are themselves under no illusions as to the veracity of continuing action. Their mood can be described as simply "going through the motions". This dispute also comes at a time when union reps in the civil service face huge cuts to "Facility time". This will seriously affect the ability of Reps to conduct their duties on behalf of members.
The far-left who continue to dominate the PCS union seem oblivious to the consequences of continuing a dispute which not only has no end in sight but also so far has achieved zero. The Socialist Party who effectively control PCS through the Left Unity formation no longer can even claim to have a "General Strike" in view as their ultimate aim. This is clearly a non-stater despite all their earlier protestations.
Members will only be prepared to go so far and although it could be said that a protest was necessary to let the Government know our feelings, the key "demands" of the dispute are long defeated. Pensions have already been changed, the Pay freeze will continue to be implemented and changes to conditions of service will not hit current members. That's the reality.
The right to strike is a basic human right and there will be times when they are necessary, but there also comes a time when striking simply because the PCS leaders are motivated by an unrealistic political agenda (and by a couple of vainglorious egos) become damaging.
That point has been reached in the current dispute.
The current strikes must now come to an end.
There may come a time when members in some areas will need to take action, especially over the threatened privatisation of the Courts. A campaign needs to be launched on this issue and links made with the large sections of magistrates, police and the judiciary that are opposed to this.
In other words the PCS union needs to sit down and re-think its' long term industrial and political strategy. The current one isn't working.
Mark Serwotka and his Socialist Party allies are not up for the task. They are stuck in a mindset that isn't fit for the twenty-first century. They need to go.
The far-left have badly damaged this union. If they carry on this way they'll totally wreck it.
Just ask the members in SOCA!
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