Conference Fringe meetings

National campaign – We deserve more!

Date: Monday 20 May at 6.15pm, refreshments provided.

Venue: Auditorium 2 – this event is also being broadcast live on Facebook.

Chaired by Martin Cavanagh, PCS acting national president with speakers Fran Heathcote, PCS general secretary, John McDonnell MP and Phil Clarke, NEU vice president

Our campaign of industrial action won serious concessions from the UK government and devolved administrations.

Join the national campaign rally to hear why our demands for public sector pay, pensions justice and jobs security should be a priority in a general election year.

Social Security – The Case for Radical Reform

Date: Tuesday 21 May at 12.45pm, refreshments provided.

Venue: Syndicate Room 2

Chaired by Ian Pope, NEC acting vice president with speakers: Martin Cavanagh (DWP president); Angela Grant (DWP vice president) and Brett Sparkes (from Unite the Union Social Security campaign)

PCS is at the forefront of campaigning for radical social security reform that puts the needs of claimants first and rectifies the current DWP staffing crisis. A short film screening about social security reform will be followed by a panel discussion and an opportunity for delegates to ask questions.

Solidaridad! Young Members Supporting the Cuban People

Date: Tuesday 21 May at 12:45pm

Venue: Syndicate Room 1

Chaired by Hannah David, NEC vice president, with speakers: Simmeron Katbamna (chair of the national young members’ committee), Louis Radforth (vice chair of the NYMC), Michel Rodríguez Alonso, (first secretary at the Cuban Embassy), Rob Miller (director of the UK Cuba Solidarity Campaign)

As Cuba continues to suffer under the illegal US blockade, trade unions have been at the forefront of providing practical and campaigning support to our comrades in the Caribbean.

This year, PCS was represented by two young member delegates on the International May Day Brigade to Cuba. In this session, you can find out more about their experiences, how young members are leading from the front in our international solidarity work, and how you can get involved in supporting the Cuban people.

Justice for Gaza! Why the fight for Palestinian freedom is a trade union issue

Date: Tuesday 21 May at 5:30 pm, refreshments provided.

Venue: Syndicate Room 1

Chaired by Martin Cavanagh, PCS acting national president, with speakers: Fran Heathcote (PCS general secretary), Lindsey German (Stop the War); Marwan Yaghi, Diplomat Political Officer, UK Palestinian Mission, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (invited)  

PCS was the first British trade union to condemn both the Hamas attacks and hostage-taking and the Israeli government’s attacks on the people of Gaza.

PCS has stood at the forefront of the movement in the campaign for a ceasefire in Gaza since the war began over six months ago.

Join the discussion on further campaigning efforts and why it is vital for trade unionists to support Palestine.

Minimum Service Levels and GCHQ commemoration

Date: Wednesday 22 May at 12:30pm, refreshments provided

Venue: Auditorium 2

Chaired by Hannah David, NEC vice president, with speakers: Paul O’Connor (PCS senior national officer) and Brian Johnson, representing GCHQ family members and survivors.

Earlier this year PCS led a major national demonstration in Cheltenham to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the GCHQ trade union ban and to protest the current government’s anti-strike laws.

At this meeting there will be a screening of a new film produced to celebrate the success of the GCHQ campaigners and a discussion of the impact of the Minimum Service Level Act and our support for the Protect the Right to Strike campaign.

Sexual harassment in the workplace – know your rights

Date: Wednesday 22 May 12:30pm, refreshments provided.

Venue: Syndicate Room 2

Chaired by Jackie Green, NEC vice president. Speakers from the NEC and others to be confirmed.

PCS recognises sexual harassment is prevalent in society and workplaces. Research by the TUC found over 1 in 2 women and nearly 7 out of 10 LGBT workers have been sexually harassed in the workplace.

At this event you’ll hear speakers talk about sexual harassment in the workplace and we’ll discuss the new Worker Protection Act 2023 which puts the onus on employers to take reasonable steps to protect employees against sexual harassment.

4 Day week – why it’s a Trade Union issue and how we can win.

Date: Wednesday 22 May 5:30pm

Venue: Syndicate Room 1

Chaired by Hannah David, NEC vice president, with speakers: Dan Durcan (EFRA group organiser); Ruby Alden Gibson (PCS full-time officer, Scottish Government); Joe Ryle (The 4 Day Week Campaign)

Campaigns for 4 day working weeks have been launched in some areas of the civil service and have gained prominence with one of the demands of our national campaign being “a significant shortening of the working week with no loss of pay”.

Members from the Efra and Scottish Government groups will share their experiences of running these campaigns and achieving the next steps under different types of government. They will share materials which show methodologies that can be used in other workplaces across PCS as well as address how we deal with the arguments against.

Green bargaining

Date: Wednesday 22 May 5:30pm

Venue: Syndicate Room 2

Chaired by Jackie Green, NEC vice president, with speakers: John Moloney, PCS assistant general secretary, Marianne Quick from UCU and David Whyte, Professor of Climate Justice.

PCS needs to make climate change a core area of bargaining and negotiation on behalf of our members and we must embed climate demands into collective bargaining, not as bolt on, but as distinct claims in themselves. This meeting will discuss the practicalities of this approach, what our green claims should be and how we should campaign around them, including how we can act collectively, including using industrial action to win our demands.