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The PCS, the Immigration 'Service' and the Scottish Protests

xtras | 22.12.2005 01:02 | Migration | Repression | Workers' Movements

The following statement was issued, by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) executive committee, on 24 November 2005 with regard to the on-going protests against the dawn raids aimed at refugees in Scotland. Bear in mind when reading it, that this is the only union in Britain which has an absolute majority of socialists - mostly members of the SP and SWP - on its executive committee

"A number of protests against government policy on the deportation of
asylum seekers have recently taken place at Immigration Service
offices in Festival Court, Glasgow. PCS members at those offices have
raised concerns about their security and safety in the context of
those protests. In response to those concerns, the NEC today
unanimously agreed the following statement.

Mark Serwotka Janice Godrich
General Secretary President

As part of a long-running campaign against government policy on the
deportation of asylum seekers, on 2 and 21 November a range of
organisations and political parties held demonstrations inside and
outside an office of the Immigration Service at Festival Court in
Glasgow.

Members' health and safety is our prime concern in this matter. PCS
is committed to ensuring that its members in the Immigration Service,
and elsewhere, have a right to a safe and secure working environment,
and to be treated with dignity.

As soon as I became aware of the situation at Festival Court, I asked
X, National Secretary and Head of the Law and Justice Bargaining
Unit, to investigate the events in liaison with Y, Scottish
Secretary. X will report to me as soon as possible and the PCS
National Executive Committee will consider the matter at its next
meeting. The Group Secretary and Group President have already raised
the health and safety implications of the events with Home Office
management at the highest level.

X will be travelling to Glasgow next Tuesday to talk to the members
at Festival Court to ascertain the facts. X will also be finding out
the views of local reps and the GEC and will suggest guidelines for
use in similar situations in the future across the union.

I have asked the Home Office Group Secretary to issue a circular to
members of the branch, and branch secretaries across the Group, to
inform them of the investigation and of the union's approaches to
management regarding health and safety.

We will take every necessary step to support members in the
Immigration Service, including the defence of independent trade
unionism. PCS will act on an objective basis and in the best
interests of members in line with our democratically determined
policies.
Mark Serwotka
General Secretary"

The attitude and behaviour of the PCS officers concerned are an absolute
disgrace. Perhaps Socialist Party, and for that matter SWP members, would like to comment on the role of their own members on the PCS Executive and what instructions they are receiving from the organisations they are members of.

This statement by the union smacks of racism. To be concerned about health and safety of one's members in respect of the protests of those blockading Brand Street and to be totally unconcerned about the human beings who have no choice in this matter and who are removed forcibly against their will, is not only racist but contrary to even the most elementary principles of socialism. The Socialist Party and SWP should be campaigning for an end to all these dawn raids, surprise removals and all the other tricks of the Immigration Service.

The reason that PCS is adopting this position is in order to retain its members, in the face of a right wing yellow union, the Immigration Services Union, but that is still no excuse. According to the logic of the PCS Executive, Serwotka and Godrich, the main issue in the deportation of Jews from say France would have been the health and safety of those carrying out the deportations.

It's a good example of how narrow sectional interests and trade union
economism mitigate against the fight for socialism, which if it means anything, means universal solidarity among working people of whatever nationality or ethnic origin

xtras

Additions

Take Action! (cor, what a novel concept)

22.12.2005 11:04

It always amazes me that these articles never give addresses/emails etc whereby people can make a complaint. Rants without action is pretty meaningless. I mean, it only takes a few minutes on Google or summat to find out the following details - come on folks, stop moaning, stop feeling sorry and lets get stuck into the basics. Let them know the midnight deportations and distressed children and the other suffering being inflicted by the immigration people in Glasgow. Explain that the protests are peaceful and that they should be showing solidarity with the deportees. Why not ask your local union or PCS branch to debate the matter and call for censure of the people involved in inflicting such unnessecary suffering and that the deportations and midnight snatches be stopped.

And really, why are we expecting much from the SWP/SP?

Happy emailing, and please do post their responses. FTP

Head Office

160 Falcon Road
London, SW11 2LN
Tel: 020 7924 2727
Fax: 020 7924 1847

Automated switchboard: 020 7801 2727 if you know the extension you want.

Scotland

Glenorchy House
20 Union Street
Edinburgh, EH1 3LR
Tel: 0131 556 0407
Fax: 0131 557 5613
e-mail PCS Scotland (Edinburgh):  normaw@pcs.org.uk

Cymru/ Wales

Phoenix House
8 Cathedral Road
Cardiff, CF1 9LJ
Tel: 029 2066 6363
Fax: 029 2066 6501
e-mail Cymru/Wales:  carmenm@pcs.org.uk

Civil Service General
Tel: 020 7801 2634/ 2645
Fax: 020 7801 2620
e-mail Civil Service General -  hq4@pcs.org.uk


Equality, Health & Safety
Tel: 020 7801 2810/2802
Fax: 020 7223 8363
e-mail Equality, Health & Safety -  teresa.howes@pcs.org.uk

I presume the email addresses of the top people are going to be as follows:

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary -  marks@pcs.org.uk,  mark.serwotka@pcs.org.uk
Janice Godrich, President -  janiceg@pcs.org.uk,  janice.godrich@pcs.org.uk


Regional Centres & Offices

Eastern Region
1-2 Adam Court
Newark Road
Peterborough, PE1 5PP
Tel: 01733 896336
Fax: 01733 558587
e-mail Eastern Region -  hilary@pcs.org.uk

Midlands Region
New Oxford House
16 Waterloo Street
Birmingham, B2 5UG
Tel: 0121 643 4342
Fax: 0121 643 8801

London & South East
Douglas Houghton House
231 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London, SW1V 1EH
Tel: 020 7801 2764
Fax: 020 7801 2762
e-mail London & South East -  src@psc.org.uk

Northern Region
Transport House
John Dobson Street
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8TW
Tel: 0191 222 0330
Fax: 0191 222 0079
e-mail Northern Region -  jan@pcs.org.uk

North West Region
4th Floor
35-37 Dale Street
Liverpool, L2 2HF
Tel: 0151 231 6120
Fax 0151 227 5771/ 5776
e-mail North West Region -  nwrc@pcs.org.uk

Granite House
4th floor
31 Stockwell Street
Glasgow, G1 4RZ
0141 548 5080
0141 552 8126
e-mail PCS Scotland (Glasgow) -  fiona.low@pcs.org.uk

South West
1st Floor, Suite 3
Quintana Gate
Bartholomew Street
Exeter, EX4 3BH
Tel: 01392 410 105
Fax: 01392 477 961
e-mail South West Region -  southwestregion@pcs.org.uk

Yorkshire and Humberside
34 Lisbon Street
Leeds, LS1 4LX
Tel: 0113 200 5300
Fax: 0113 200 5301
e-mail Yorkshire & Humberside -  leeds@pcs.org.uk

FTP


Comments

Hide the following comment

s

22.12.2005 09:44

The workers are asking for a safe and secure working environment, and to be treated with dignity?! What about the children who are forced to go to the toilet in vans while being deported because the drivers can't be arsed stopping?! What about the families who are woken from their sleep to be told they're getting deported?! What a fucking joke!

And as far as I could see there were no SWP members at any of the actions. Don't think there was enough TV cameras, or it was too early in the morning for paper selling, or something.

rediculous