Up to 90,000 PCS Union members in the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) took strike action on May 2-3. Civil Servants in Jobcentres and Social Security Offices were protesting against 30,000 job cuts.
The strike was as well supported as the action in January and gained good publicity in the days before the local elections.
Unfortunately 17,000 jobs have already been axed and the Government appears unwilling to retreat from its cuts programmes. At a strike rally, PCS President, Janice Godrich told members they needed to "dig in" as the history of recent struggles in the DWP shows they are usually protracted.
Mark Serwotka, the PCS General Secretary predicted the Government was set to announce further privatisation in the DWP, with the rollout of 'Pathways to Work,
new programme for Incapacity benefit clients. Already the DWP aims to privatise several Jobcentreplus Districts next year.
Blairite modernisation of the DWP has led to a collapsing service. Even the DWP Parliamentary Select Committee has recognised there are truly appalling levels of service' in Jobcentreplus. Studies have shown millions of calls go unanswered at DWP call centres. Customers are unable to get through to make new claims appointments or benefit enquiries.
The introduction of the remote processing of claims -eg the majority of new claims in London are now processed
Glasgow, Belfast Manchester - and the useless CMS computer system (for booking new claims appointments) has led to huge delays in new claimants getting money. EDS, a private computer company have made millions out of CMS (as they did out of the CA's computer system) despite its failings.
Clients are increasingly venting their frustration with on DWP employees, with incidents in Jobcentres rising dramatically. Obviously this anects tne lever or sickness In the Department, but management have introduced attendance management policies where staff can receive sickness warnings after eight days absence. Last year over 1000 DWP employees either resigned or were sacked on sickness grounds. The DWP torces manv of its own statt with disabilities out of work.
Unsurprisingly the recent DWP staff survey showed only 10% of staff had any confidence in senior managers (and 10% of respondents to the survey were senior managers!). Although they are unfit for work, some DWP Board members are paid almost 100 times more than Ine average benent clalmant. Like their New Labour Ministers they have proved unwilling to resign despite their unpopularity.
After action in
suke January, PCS negotiators spent three months in fruitless secret talks with these managers. The talks appear to nave been strung our to try lo prevent the union taking action with other public sectors workers in their recent
Unfortunately the bureaucrats fell for this ploy, and did not give an ultimatum to the Government to make a deal or face DWP workers striking with a million public sector workers in their pension battle. Thus the union has made no progress so far in its fight for a moratorium on job culs, a no compulsory reaundancy guarantee and a major change to the attendance management policy.
The latest strike was magnificent considering it was called at short notice and publicity was poor. However it will not be sutticient to win the struggle by LWO day strikes every few months.
Activists must step up the picketing of overtime work -5400 jobs could be created in the DWP if overtime was stopped). Union leaders must support short term, targeted selecuve achon unal puls considerable pressure the employer. The dispute must be widened now by calling another Civil Service wide strike against job cuts.
Political campaigning must be stepped up and pressure put on MPs to oppose DWP 1oD losses and Incapacity Benefit reforms (if as appears likely they mean poorer benefits and more privatisation).
The union's conference in June must address the issue of the lack of working class representation and support initiatives _lke the RMT's (railway union's). More than ever Civil Servants need a party political voice..
Despite the arrogance of Blair and DWP Management, their chickens are coming home to roost. The union must stick the boot in while Blair is down. We must protect DWP services trom its bosses, the private sector vultures and New Labour.
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