The funniest thing I have read for some time was written by the hardest possible hard left PCS union general secretary Mark Serwotka in a booklet accompanying the union’s annual election of the National Executive Committee (NEC). It reads:
“Each year, PCS members vote to elect the union’s NEC. It is important that you vote in these elections.” He then goes on to add that the NEC is the governing body of the union and is responsible for implementing policies decided by the annual conference and by membership ballots. All good so far, but wait: “It is important that you vote in these elections.” Really?
Serwotka adds: “I urge you to take up your democratic right to vote in these elections. It’s your union, have a say in who runs it.” To which I say, bollocks.
Having left the civil service the PCS misrepresents some four years ago, I no longer have to participate in this farce of an election. And it is a farce. The NEC is a straight fight between two ultra hard left factions with literally no one else to choose from, other than one nutcase (sorry, but he is) and a bloke who calls himself Green. Not a single candidate from what you would call mainstream left and obviously no one from anywhere else on the political spectrum. And Serwotka says people need to vote in order to “have a say” in who runs the union. The words “yeah” and “right” are appropriate in these circumstances.
PCS members are nowhere near as revolutionary as its leaders. Visit any MOD site or Jobcentre and it is unlikely you will find legions of Trotskyites desperate for the revolution. On the contrary, you are more likely to find the most middle of the road membership in all of the world. Yet, the only people who are standing for election are the basket case far left.
“Well, why don’t the moderates run for election?” ask people who know nothing about the most hard left of all hard left unions. It’s because the comrades control the entire infrastructure from full time employees to almost every local branch. The comrades are formed into two factions who issue lists for members to choose to vote for. There is no other faction. Independent candidates, even if they can somehow get a nomination to stand for election, have no chance of winning unless they are on a list (a slate, as we call it). It’s a stitch up.
So the choice for civil servants in PCS is between two hardline far left groups. It’s a choice I would not even make if I was still a member of PCS and a choice that will not be made by at least 90% of those who are still members.
PCS today is Labour tomorrow, as the people’s party gets consumed by the same hard left sects. Given the pitifully week state of PCS, the Tories will be rubbing their hands together at what Corbyn and the comrades will do to Labour. And who could blame them?
