PCS was formed by the merger in 1998 of the CPSA, which organised clerical civil service grades, and the PTC which organised management grades, support grades (typists, messengers, security guards etc.) and included the former multi-grade Inland Revenue Staff Association. Both unions had well organised left and right factions.

In CPSA the rightwing Moderate grouping, led by Barry Reamsbottom as GS, played a destructive role both within the union and outside it. It had exposed links to a number of far right security services and NATO fronts, as well as the Freedom Association. The main left grouping was Left Unity, largely a electoral organisation, but on the whole a democratic one internally that included most left groups and activists including the SWP and Socialist Party. Compared with the divided and sectarian history of the left in unions such as Unison or the NUT, the CPSA left had achieved a good united base from which to go forward. Socialist Caucus, of which Mark Serwotka (and myself) was formally a member, was a far smaller grouping based mainly in London and in the Employment Service. Probably less than half of its members actually joined and played a role in Left Unity, something that was to be crucial around the events just prior to the Serwotka victory.

In the PTC the main right wing grouping was Membership First, an unashamedly careerist outfit, but one that was far less rabid than the CPSA Moderates. The Left inside PTC was dominated by various ex-CP members, and whereas they called themselves Unity, to most people they were still known as the 'Secret Left' due to their top down manner of organising by invitation which meant that they were also largely a careerist grouping made up of various officers and officials with little rank and file activist base.

Following the formation of the PCS the factions started to move in different directions. The Moderates and Me First took an instant dislike to each other, despite sharing the same political ground. Their infighting, based largely on personalities, meant that the right was now divided as they saw each other rather than the left as the main enemy. The ex-PTC Unity group failed to merge with Left Unity, in part because of their sectarian nature, but in the main because of political differences that saw them to the right of Left Unity on many issues. Unity is now a spent force within PCS, as it has failed to grow and expand to recruit clerical grades members, and in fact it has lost members. Left Unity has expanded, although slowly, and includes members in all sections and all grades, something no other faction has. Current membership now stands at around 650 paid up supporters, many times more than any other grouping. Socialist Caucus is still largely confined to ES, and sadly remains largely outside of Left Unity, in part due to some specific problems between its leading members and some LU/SP members in ES that have taken on the appearence of a personality clash.

So much for the background. When it came to the time for Left Unity to decide whether or not to stand a candidate a full internal debate took place, leading to a delegate based conference in Manchester in November. A possible LU candidate had already been selected by a LU membership ballot, and was to be Terry Adams, a Socialist Party supporter. However, at the LU conference the SP argued against standing a LU candidate! Their argument centered around the expectation that Barry Reamsbottom would stand for re-election and have a chance of winning (in the event he couldn't manage to get enough branch nominations to stand, but this was unexpected at the time). Reamsbottom had played a witch-hunting role aginst the left in the CPSA, and it was felt that he could do the same in PCS. Their alternative was to support Hugh Lanning, a soft-Blairite who had promised to 'play fair' in the union so far as democracy and respecting Conference decisions were concerned. Lanning, a ex-PTC bureaucrat and PCS Assistant GS, had never been elected in his life, always having been an employee of the union, and he was backed by both Membership First and the Unity group.

The actual LU conference vote was very close, and in the event only half a dozen votes led to the decision not to stand a official LU candidate, something that was supported by the SP and a number of independants. This was opposed by the SWP, Socailst Caucus and a number of other independants including myself. The significant factor here is that had Caucus played a full role in LU then it is almost certain that they would have had the numbers to lead to an offical LU candidate. The fact that they did not play that constructive role should be one where their supporters such as Charlie McDonald question the objectively sectarian position many of their members are effectively in, rather than lambast LU for its 'failure'. It should be noted that Mark Serwotka remains a LU regional convenor for his area and continues to play an active role in LU.

I also believe that the incorrect position taken by the SP has more to it than meets the eye. During the LU Manchester conference I commented to a leading SP supporter that it was somewhat strange that the SP had taken the line to support a Blairite in the union, when outside it they now believed in challenging the Labour Party at the polls on principle as they now viewed the LP as throughly bourgeois. The response was illuminating, given that the SP member was one of the few still left in the LP. He said that in the internal SP PCS caucus debate the old, less sectarian, Militant position had won out against the new SP way of dealing with the LP. In this view it was perfectly reasonable to make an alliance with a soft-Blairite. It was not a view I could share, despite myself being a LP member who has looked on with growing anger at the increasing sectarion position of groups like the SP in relation to the LP, but it explains a lot. What the outcome of the internal SP analysis of their massive blunder, where they could have had a SP PCS General Secretary, will be can only be guessed at!

After the LU decision, Serwotka decided to stand as a socialist independant. I believed at the time that this was a correct position to take. As soon as Reamsbottom failed to get enough nominations to stand, and it became a straight fight between Lqanning and Serwotka, LU gave immediate support to Serwotka as postings on this site made clear. LU also produced its own election material in support of Serwotka.

So far as the other factions are concerned, the Moderates look to be in terminal decline after having lost Reamsbottom who in the event was more than happy to take the pay off offered to him (he will get paid until 2004 at 70,000 plus per annum, despite retiring in 2002, this is on top of other pay offs). Unity too is on the ropes. Me First look set to become the main right-wing danger. Only a stong, united left will be in a position to beat them in the next NEC elections. These elections will be vital, but cannot be won in the same manner as the Serwotka victory. It needs a united left able to offer a credible slate of candidates and a sustained campaign. I would therefore urge all PCS left activists to unite inside Left Unity now, use its democratic structures to fight for your own perspectives, but above all become part of a united left. Together we have not only a union, but a world to win!

Fraternally, Jim Dye, Chairperson, PCS DSS Liverpool No.1 Branch.