THE POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF CPSA
FIGHTING ON IN OUR 45th YEAR BUT A BIT RETIRED NOW
FREEDOM! UNITY! SOCIALISM!
ONE CIVIL SERVICE UNION,
ONE GLORIOUS DESTINY!
REVOLUTION UNTIL VICTORY!
CIRCULAR FROM THE PRESIDENT BB/24/02 dated 23/05/02
TO: ALL BRANCHES
23 May 2002 BB/24/02
Dear Colleague
SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO YOUR UNION'S DEMOCRACY
I am writing with great sorrow to advise you of a serious challenge to the
democracy of your union.
Just over 18 months ago, PCS members voted to elect Mark Serwotka as the
new General Secretary of the union. Mark is due to take over on 1 June 2002.
The current General Secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, chose not to stand in
those elections. Instead he signed an agreement with the union, under which
he agreed to leave office on 1st June at the end of his five-year term. He
accepted a financial compensation offer covering the period to his normal
retirement date in 2004.
At the recent Biennial Delegate Conference of the union, delegates voted -
almost unanimously - to endorse the agreement with Barry Reamsbottom.
Conference instructed the National Executive Committee to ensure that the
agreement was implemented.
I have to tell you that Barry Reamsbottom is now attempting to have the
democratic election overturned, and to go back on the agreement he reached
with the union.
In the recent elections for the PCS NEC the so-called "Moderate Group"
faction - supported by Barry Reamsbottom - obtained a narrow majority of
seats. Allegations of unfair electoral practices against the "Moderate"
faction are currently being investigated, which may result in the elections
having to be re-run.
Immediately the new NEC took office this week, Barry Reamsbottom attempted
to convene a meeting at no more than 48 hours notice. I asked to be
consulted as President, as the union's rules require, about the timing and
agenda for the meeting, and the reasons for its urgency. But this was
refused. I therefore felt I had no option but to seek legal advice. I was
advised that the proposed meeting breached the union's rules, and should be
declared invalid.
The "Moderate" faction led by Barry Reamsbottom ignored this, and continued
to meet unconstitutionally, endorsing a resolution declaring Mark's election
as invalid. If allowed to stand, this decision would allow Barry Reamsbottom
to remain as sole General Secretary until 2004.
Another proposal made was that I, as the democratically elected President
of the union, would in future be excluded from all sub-committees of the
NEC, many of them dealing with important members' business.
In view of these disgraceful attacks on your union's democracy, I have had
no option but to seek a High Court declaration that the "meeting" of the NEC
was unconstitutional and that any decisions taken are null and void.
I deeply regret this sequence of events but I am convinced that everyone
with the union's interests at heart must unite to fight this attack on its
democracy. During this difficult period we must all continue to work
together to deal with members' pay and conditions to the very best of our
ability.
I will keep you informed of developments. In the meantime, please make sure
that as many members as possible see this circular.
Yours sincerely
JANICE GODRICH
National President