PCS Union Row Over Trans Rights

It seems Mark Serwotka hasn't been the politically correct hero everybody on the left expects him to be when it comes to "Trans-rights. During the Summer Serwotka signed a letter (in "personal capacity) to the Morning Star which asked for "civil debate":

We, the undersigned, have a variety of positions about proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act. Some of us have not yet fully formed our opinions.

We are calling for action within our movement to allow debate to take place over proposed changes to the Act.

You may be aware that on April 13 this year, an activist, Tara Wood was convicted of the assault by beating of Maria MacLachlan, a 60-year-old woman who had gathered with others in order to attend a meeting at which they could discuss the potential impact on women and girls of such a change to the law.

On March 8, an incident also occurred on a Bectu picket line in which trans activists, with no connection to the industrial dispute itself, mobbed and verbally attacked a female trade union member on the basis of having recognised her as an attendee at a similar meeting.

And in late April women in Bristol looking to meet and discuss changes to the Gender Recognition Act were met with masked activists blocking entrances to the venue, and deliberately intimidating those wishing to go inside.

More recently, a meeting organised by Woman’s Place UK was targeted with a bomb threat which Hastings Police are investigating as a serious incident.

These cases are part of systematic attempts to shut down meetings organised by women at which they can discuss potential legislative changes and the impact these may have on any sex-based rights already enshrined in law.

They draw the whole of our progressive movement into disrepute.

Some trans rights activists even continue to justify the use of violence, meaning that many women are simply too frightened to attend meetings that are both public and lawful in order that they may discuss their own rights.

Other women, including ordinary women concerned for their rights, as well as those active within the trade union movement and other political campaigns, are also now anxious and fearful that they will be subjected to such attacks when engaging in any political activity, meetings, or protests.

We are sure that, whatever your view regarding the issues around the Gender Recognition Act, you will agree that it is unacceptable for women to be made scared to engage in political life.

We, the undersigned, publicly and unequivocally condemn the use of violence or tactics of intimidation on this issue.

A reasonable approach signed not just by Serwotka and his wife but Len McCluskey and the Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy.




However the PCS Proud group disagreed and sent off a rant:

Following the publication of this article, we received contact from numerous members of Proud and PCS expressing their disappointment, hurt and anger that you had signed this letter, questioning our Union’s support for them and wider transgender equality and also, regrettably, their continued membership of PCS. 

While we appreciate you may have signed the letter in a personal capacity, as a well-known General Secretary of a major trade union and given the similar position of several other signatories, your signature has led to many making an assumption about our Union’s policies on transgender, and wider equality, issues as well as on inclusion and how our union views members in underrepresented groups, including those who are LGBT...

The letter provides a limited sample of alleged incidents and makes the claim that these cases are part of “systematic attempts to shut down meetings” and “draw the whole of our progressive movement into disrepute.” Each of the examples listed are specifically of alleged aggression from one side of the “debate” towards the other. We are concerned that this is an attempt to create a one-sided narrative and uses the actions of a very small minority to portray the many who peacefully support reform in the same light.

As usual the Trans-activists seek to close down debate.

Serwotka's response didn't not go down well with the comrades, especially as he did not appreciate an "Open Letter" that is to say making this a public debate about his actions.

In your response to us you recognise that “The PCS position is clear and a matter of public record. We condemn all discrimination against trans people and fully support the fight for trans people.” You also state “The letter is specifically, and only, about issues concerning the way in which debate should be conducted within the labour movement.” 

You further state “I have no hesitation in unequivocally condemning discriminatory behaviour against trans people, the belittlement of their everyday suffering from hate crimes, and the denial of the authenticity of their personal experience."

We would like to draw your attention to the tweet below, which was tweeted on Friday 13th July by Paul Embery, a fellow signatory of the Morning Star letter, which reads “This (a letter from LGBT Labour) landed in my inbox. I will not be withdrawing my name from the Morning Star letter. I consider it dangerous and wrong - ultimately biologically illiterate - for the law to force us to recognise a man as a woman simply because he says he is one #Orwellian #Stand WithWomen” 

This tweet was liked by, among others, Woman’s Place UK, one of the groups organising around proposed GRA reform, whose founders also signed the Morning Star letter and to whom you will already be familiar.

This tweet apparently caused the Proud people to have a "hissy fit" (they say disgusted) just because someone doesn't agree with them.

Clara Paillard (PCS NEC) supported Proud stating :

MS also broke conference policy more recently by signing this disgraceful letter in the Morning Star. He signed it as PCS GS, not personal capacity.

Neither side come out of this spat well.

The PCS General Secretary doesn't like being challenged by members in public and the Proud group show disdain and intolerance towards those that disagree with them.