By Fabbri, submitted on Thu, 22/12/2005 - 06:10
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
previous protests at Brand Street Immigration Centre have resulted after inhumane deportations by the Home Office
"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 originRelated
