Victoria Steeples NEC Election Address 2007

I am an NEC member, Secretary of the Office of Fair Trading Trade Union Side, Branch Vice-Chair, and Vice-President of the Public Sector group. I am proud to be standing, as a member of PCS Democrats (www.pcsdemocrats.org.uk), as part of the Democracy Alliance.

In the civil service and non-departmental public bodies we have been facing an unprecedented onslaught on jobs, pay and conditions of employment. I believe the NEC has shown that it is a leadership committed to defending your position, whether as part of the national campaign or where there are unique problems.

We have sought to negotiate agreements on preventing compulsory redundancies and compulsory relocations. We have worked to achieve fair and equal pay, and decent pay rises. We have asked for a commitment to proper negotiations on privatisation and outsourcing. These are all reasonable and achievable aims.

In the light of the employer's failure - over a considerable period of time - to commit to meaningful negotiation on these issues, we asked members to support a campaign of industrial action.

This is not something anyone does lightly, but we could not stand by and do nothing while members were made needlessly redundant, pay talks were going nowhere, and pay awards have been so small as to be effectively pay cuts. Those who criticise us have not come up with any viable alternatives.

Coming from a small departmental branch, I have been working to ensure that the union at national level is truly inclusive of branches in small departments and non-departmental public bodies, and gives them adequate support. This is even more crucial as we face the national threats to our position as well as the more localised agendas of managements in departments and NDPBs.

I also support the work done by the equality forums, and want an NEC that acts on the issues they raise.

The Democracy Alliance has developed a union which is financially sound and recruiting new members faster than any other union. It has created a campaigning organisation which defends your interests. Don't let our opponents undo the good work of the last four years. Please vote for:

President – Godrich
Vice Presidents – Bean, Bond, Kelly, Morris
NEC – Albert, Baker, Brown A, Brown P, Chorlton, Comer, Conway, Dennis, Dunn, Ferguson, Gedling, Holbourne, Jamieson, John, License, Lloyd, McFadden, McHugh, McInally, Morrison, Reid, Richards, Steeples, Taylor, Wesley, Williams P, Williams R, Williamson, Winder, Yesildalli.