PCS coup defeated in court
dinosaur | 05.08.2002 10:23
The High Court ruled today, Wednesday 31 July, that Mark Serwotka is the General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the main civil service union with over 280,000 members.
The court ruled that the outgoing General Secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, had no legal right to remain in office after his five-year term ended on 31 May 2002.
Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, said:
"I am extremely pleased that the High Court has accepted that the members elected me as the general Secretary of PCS.
"I was elected General Secretary on a programme of defending PCS members jobs, re-establishing national civil service pay and conditions and opposing privatisation.
"PCS will now continue working for high quality public services and improving the service that the union provides to members and representatives at the workplace."
Summary of High Court Judgement:
·Mr Reamsbottom ceased to be general secretary on 31st May 2002.
·Mr Serwotka was the valid elected general secretary from 1st June 2002.
·The purported NEC of 23rd May 2002 was not a valid meeting and therefore its decisions have no effect.
·The compromise agreement signed by Mr Reamsbottom and the PCS was always valid.
·Leave to appeal under derivative action was rejected.
The court ruled that the outgoing General Secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, had no legal right to remain in office after his five-year term ended on 31 May 2002.
Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, said:
"I am extremely pleased that the High Court has accepted that the members elected me as the general Secretary of PCS.
"I was elected General Secretary on a programme of defending PCS members jobs, re-establishing national civil service pay and conditions and opposing privatisation.
"PCS will now continue working for high quality public services and improving the service that the union provides to members and representatives at the workplace."
Summary of High Court Judgement:
·Mr Reamsbottom ceased to be general secretary on 31st May 2002.
·Mr Serwotka was the valid elected general secretary from 1st June 2002.
·The purported NEC of 23rd May 2002 was not a valid meeting and therefore its decisions have no effect.
·The compromise agreement signed by Mr Reamsbottom and the PCS was always valid.
·Leave to appeal under derivative action was rejected.
dinosaur
Homepage:
http://www.pcs.org.uk
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DEFENDING UNION DEMOCRACY
05.08.2002 10:52
Thursday 8 August, 7pm
Conference Room
Merseyside Trade Union Centre
Hardman Street
Liverpool
Speakers include:
Mark Serwotka General Secretary, PCS
Derek Simpson General Secretary elect, Amicus-AEEU
Tony Gallagher PCS Senior NW Regional Officer
In May this year outgoing PCS General Secretary Barry Reamsbottom and
his right wing "Moderate" faction attempted a coup within PCS
to keep him in power and sack the democratically elected new General
Secretary, Mark Serwotka. On 31 July the High Court finally ruled
that this blatant attack on union democracy was illegal and
reinstated Mark as the PCS General Secretary. This meeting will
therefore by a victory rally for union democracy, where Mark Serwotka
will be joined by the new General Secretary elect of Amicus-AEEU,
Derek Simpson, who recently defeated Sir Ken Jackson.
All trade unionists are urged to attend this important meeting where
the issues of union democracy will be discussed. This is an open
meeting and will include plenty of time for questions and debate from
the floor.
Disabled Access Bar facilities
Marxist_Mike