Kevin Kelly, PCS Land Registry, personal capacity
MARK SERWOTKA, a Left
Unity member standing on an independent socialist ticket, has been elected
general secretary of civil service union PCS. His election is an indication of
the deep discontent amongst members with the right-wing union leadership and its
failure to represent their interests against the Blair government's policies.
That leadership have meekly accepted a partnership agreement with New Labour,
which has meant the worsening of working conditions, performance-related pay and
the break-up of pay bargaining into over 200 units. Mark Serwotka's victory was
celebrated by rank-and-file members who will see it as an opportunity to repair
this damage to pay and working conditions.
His unexpected victory over Hugh Lanning, PCS assistant general secretary, was
by 40,740 votes to 33,942, on about a 30% turnout. It comes after the earlier
success when right-wing general secretary Barry Reamsbottom withdrew from the
election.
The final outcome of the whole election campaign was a testament to the
correctness of the position of Left Unity, including Socialist Party members.
When Barry Reamsbottom refused to stand for re-election, in spite of a 1998
conference resolution, they played an important role at the May 2000 conference
in winning support for a general secretary election. This support was then
turned into a yes vote for a new election in the ensuing membership ballot.
When Left Unity held a selection meeting, dependent on whether or not they
finally decided to stand a candidate for general secretary, Terry Adams, a
Socialist Party member and PCS national officer, won against Mark Serwotka.
The Left Unity conference decided, following a full debate, that the priority
for the PCS and the wider trade union movement was to defeat and remove
Reamsbottom. Terry Adams correctly accepted that decision.
Left Unity decided to give very critical support to Hugh Lanning to avoid
splitting the anti- Reamsbottom vote and on the basis of assurances given by
Lanning about his programme.
Mark Serwotka participated in this discussion but refused to accept the Left
Unity decision. Many Left Unity members argued that he risked losing the
opportunity to get rid of Reamsbottom by standing as a candidate.
The Left Unity decision to give critical support to Lanning, together with the
campaign waged against Reamsbottom over many years by Left Unity and the
Socialist Party, forced Reamsbottom to cut and run and seek a deal from the
union.
It was subsequently revealed that he only got 32 branch nominations instead of
the required 50. The deal was that Reamsbottom would withdraw from the election
and withdraw his court case against the union, provided he could continue as
general secretary until 2002 and be paid until 2004.
Reamsbottom's forced withdrawal was a major victory, greeted with jubilation by
activists both inside and outside the union.
In the light of Reamsbottom's last-minute withdrawal, Socialist Party members
called upon the PCS leadership and the candidates, Lanning and Serwotka, to
reopen the election process to allow members, branches and political groupings
to nominate fresh candidates. This was refused.
Faced with an election between Mark Serwotka and Hugh Lanning, the Left Unity
national committee recommended support for Mark Serwotka. This Left Unity
support was critical for his electoral success.
PCS members and activists will now look to Mark Serwotka to take up his post as
general secretary elect on 1 February 2001 (see article below) and begin to
argue for and develop with Left Unity NEC members, the socialist programme he
stood on in the election.
Reamsbottom will continue as the outgoing general secretary for a while. Mark
Serwotka will need to confront Reamsbottom and the PCS bureaucracy to establish
his position. Socialist Party members in Left Unity will work with Mark Serwotka
to help build Left Unity, to implement Conference policies and to act in the
interests of PCS members.