by René Lavanchy
BRITAIN’S biggest civil service union could be standing its own parliamentary candidates as early as next year, under plans to be discussed by its members.
The Public and Commercial Services Union voted overwhelmingly to hold a one-year consultation into whether it should stand and fund candidates in a general election “on the basis of opposition to privatisation, closures and attacks on workers’ rights” at their annual conference last week.
General secretary Mark Serwotka, who personally moved the motion, said: “We think the time has come to untie our hands… and take our campaigns more forcefully to the politicians that make decisions on our jobs, pay and conditions.” The union, which represents over 300,000 members throughout public services, is opposed to both Labour and Conservative plans for public spending cuts, which it says will lead to job cuts in the public sector.
The length of the consultation – and the fact that it will report to next year’s conference – means that no candidates will be fielded for the forthcoming general election. Members have yet to decide whether candidates would be independent, members of existing parties or would stand on a common platform.
A PCS spokesperson said: “Our position is there’s a dangerous consensus that’s built up between Labour and the Tories. At the last election, it became a bit of a bidding war about how many jobs were going to be cut.”
In advance of next week’s European elections, the union has also asked individual members of the European Parliament for their views on privatisation and job cuts. “Conservative and Labour MEPs are referring us to their manifestos, which is disappointing”, the spokesperson added.
