Now PCS falls out with the FDA

It seems that the largest of the civil service unions, PCS is in the process of falling out with yet another union as it shrinks into further irrelevance. The time it's the First Division Association that has attracted the ire of Mark Serwotka and his minions.

According to a report on Civil Service World

The FDA union is looking to extend its reach further into the civil service by launching a new organisation for officials at SEO and HEO level.

The union currently represents around 18,000 senior officials in the top tiers of the service – those at Senior Civil Service (SCS) level, and those working in Grades 6 & 7.

But the new union – dubbed "Keystone" – will allow higher executive officers and senior executive officers to become full members of the FDA. The organisation says it is not aiming to "compete with other unions for members".

The FDA is quite clear in stating the reasons for this move, which is to "increase union density" in the civil service. There are large numbers of civil servants who remain outside the unions, and any attempt to unionise them should be welcomed. Except as the report continues:

However, the move could prove controversial with other civil service unions, as it will open up the possibility of FDA membership to officials currently represented by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union.

PCS has lost thousands of members in recent months due to the end of "check-off" in several departments, a process set to increase over the coming year. 

Faced with decline prospects PCS has become paranoid about other unions, especially since the unions finances were so badly run they were unable to even afford internal elections. The sale of the Falcon Road headquarters building caused some controversy when finally publicly exposed as the process had begun in secret.

The decision of the government to allow Unison negotiation rights in the civil service led to Serwotka complaining to the TUC. At the same time relations with Prospect one of the other main civil service unions has become more than frayed.

Additionally PCS has had two breakaways leading to the formation of the NCOA and the RCTU. 

Civil Service World reminds us that:

In May, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka used an article in the Morning Star newspaper to warn of "division and competition" among unions representing civil servants.

"Our movement’s longstanding inter-union agreements over how to organise across the economy are essential because we need united collective organisation in workplaces to advance our members’ interests," he wrote.

While some ex-PCS members have moved to other existing unions, there remain a large number who are no longer unionised. These people are unlikely to rejoin PCS which is used by it's activists as a platform for their own interests and ceased being "member focused some years back. 

The domination of the far left makes PCS an organisation unfit for purpose.

If other, proper trade unions like Unison, Prospect or the FDA can bring back lapsed members to the fold than so much the better.

If people choose other alternatives that is their right and PCS only has it's leaders and activists to blame.

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Details of the new FDA initiative can be found here:

http://www.fda.org.uk/Media/Whats-new/FDA-launches-Keystone-a-new-section-for-SEO-HEO-and-related-grades.aspx