I'm informed that the General's Secretary's office has asked that my post is taken down as it’s not appropriate to be posted on an official PCS linked site.
Judging by the number of members who have engaged in the debate it would appear to be more than appropriate.
It's typical of Serwotka to try & censor debate and suppress information. This blog was born out of attempts by the PCS General Secretary attempt to suppress the e-mail list I was using when a member. Serwotka failed to tell the membership that after he suspended the PCS Reps in SOCA that they simply buggered off and formed another union, the NCOA which now represents nearly all union members in the section.
It's typical of Serwotka to try & censor debate and suppress information. This blog was born out of attempts by the PCS General Secretary attempt to suppress the e-mail list I was using when a member. Serwotka failed to tell the membership that after he suspended the PCS Reps in SOCA that they simply buggered off and formed another union, the NCOA which now represents nearly all union members in the section.
When a further split took place in the HMRC I gave space to a guest post by one of the breakaway leaders to put their case on my blog. Serwotka demanded I took the post down. I refused.
The PCS Facebook page was constantly censored and was very one sided. If anyone wasn't on the left it became a very unpleasant place indeed. Even Janice Godrich got abusive towards me for which she was pulled up by other left members. Frankly as President she should know how she should conduct herself more than anyone else.
Now the Serwotka has turned his attention to others. He wants this removed (it won't be I'm sure but here it is represented for those who may not have had the opportunity to see this contribution to the debate by Tony Mulhern:
MORE ON CHRIS AND JANICE:
‘WHO WILL RID ME OF THIS TURBULENT PRIEST?’ Henry II
It is really gratifying to see so many engage in the Chris Baugh/Janice Godrich debate. It can only be good for democracy.
Opponents of Chris, including Mark and Janice, have argued that Chris is not the man for the job and can no longer take the union forward. Many anti-Chris charges have been made, but the only allegation that stands up to serious scrutiny is that he doesn’t get on with Mark. Indeed, prior to the last election for AGS, Janice appealed for support for Chris describing him in glowing terms as a ‘ferocious defender of union democracy’
Why the change in the evaluation of Chris’s value to the PCS?
This, apparently, was achieved by Mark calling individual EC members into his office and briefing them on how he could not work with Chris who, he claimed, was guilty of many transgressions.
But the main question that Mark appeared to pose in this exercise was: ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest.’ Used by Henry II, who was troubled by Thomas Becket’s excommunication of Henry’s supporters. History shows Becket came to a bloody end, but was later venerated while Henry was vilified. Today armed knights are not deployed, instead the propaganda machine controlled by the GS is used for the desired assassination.
Mark is no doubt very persuasive. He is well turned out, an able communicator and speaker, with a Welsh lilt like other great speakers, Lloyd George, Nye Bevan and Rob Williams spring to mind. He is ubiquitous on radio and TV. All of these qualities, cloaked with the authority of the office of General Secretary, make him a formidable persuader. But, like other historical examples I can think of, is his conduct in the best interests of union democracy? The members will decide that for themselves.
One or two Socialist Party members have jumped ship, even though it was their membership of the Party which facilitated their rise in the first place. Now it appears they fear that continued loyalty to the Socialist Party will invite the disapproval of the GS and his acolytes, even my old friend Martin Cavanagh has used public platforms to denigrate the SP. After jumping ship, will their previous loyalty morph into hostility? An unfortunate tendency which I have had the misfortune to experience so many times in my long period of labour movement activity.
Hopefully the crucial element to emerge from these events is that when the members cast their votes it will be based on a true and factual picture of whom they are voting for and which candidate will continue building the reputation of the PCS as a trade union that seriously fights on behalf of the membership. Chris has been in the forefront of that battle for decades as a lay member and elected officer. He should continue with that task.
Ends.
One small and seemingly overseen matter is the removal of support for Clara Palliard for the NEC who just happens to be the partner of Chris Baugh. Bit petty minded I thought.
What the members will make of all this and how many will bothered to vote (only 7.5% did this year) remains to be seen.
MORE ON CHRIS AND JANICE:
‘WHO WILL RID ME OF THIS TURBULENT PRIEST?’ Henry II
It is really gratifying to see so many engage in the Chris Baugh/Janice Godrich debate. It can only be good for democracy.
Opponents of Chris, including Mark and Janice, have argued that Chris is not the man for the job and can no longer take the union forward. Many anti-Chris charges have been made, but the only allegation that stands up to serious scrutiny is that he doesn’t get on with Mark. Indeed, prior to the last election for AGS, Janice appealed for support for Chris describing him in glowing terms as a ‘ferocious defender of union democracy’
Why the change in the evaluation of Chris’s value to the PCS?
This, apparently, was achieved by Mark calling individual EC members into his office and briefing them on how he could not work with Chris who, he claimed, was guilty of many transgressions.
But the main question that Mark appeared to pose in this exercise was: ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest.’ Used by Henry II, who was troubled by Thomas Becket’s excommunication of Henry’s supporters. History shows Becket came to a bloody end, but was later venerated while Henry was vilified. Today armed knights are not deployed, instead the propaganda machine controlled by the GS is used for the desired assassination.
Mark is no doubt very persuasive. He is well turned out, an able communicator and speaker, with a Welsh lilt like other great speakers, Lloyd George, Nye Bevan and Rob Williams spring to mind. He is ubiquitous on radio and TV. All of these qualities, cloaked with the authority of the office of General Secretary, make him a formidable persuader. But, like other historical examples I can think of, is his conduct in the best interests of union democracy? The members will decide that for themselves.
One or two Socialist Party members have jumped ship, even though it was their membership of the Party which facilitated their rise in the first place. Now it appears they fear that continued loyalty to the Socialist Party will invite the disapproval of the GS and his acolytes, even my old friend Martin Cavanagh has used public platforms to denigrate the SP. After jumping ship, will their previous loyalty morph into hostility? An unfortunate tendency which I have had the misfortune to experience so many times in my long period of labour movement activity.
Hopefully the crucial element to emerge from these events is that when the members cast their votes it will be based on a true and factual picture of whom they are voting for and which candidate will continue building the reputation of the PCS as a trade union that seriously fights on behalf of the membership. Chris has been in the forefront of that battle for decades as a lay member and elected officer. He should continue with that task.
Ends.
One small and seemingly overseen matter is the removal of support for Clara Palliard for the NEC who just happens to be the partner of Chris Baugh. Bit petty minded I thought.
What the members will make of all this and how many will bothered to vote (only 7.5% did this year) remains to be seen.
Thank you for keeping this topic alive in the public domain. Things are so quiet these days as most of us have been ex-communicated!
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