As 2017 draws to a close we would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication this year in supporting PCS campaigns and helping to promote your union. For too many 2017 has been a year of increasing insecurity, poverty and wider political challenges. PCS campaigns both at home and in global solidarity … Continue reading Next steps in pay campaign and season’s greetings

Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union may end up with stronger guarantees of animal rights than workers’ health and safety rights if the government has its way, the TUC has said.  TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson was commenting after environment secretary Michael Gove announced new legislation to protect animals. The draft bill says the government … Continue reading Animals guaranteed more rights post-Brexit – what about workers?

Staff who feel they are treated unfairly at work are at increased risk of being off sick more frequently and for longer, according to new research by the University of East Anglia and Stockholm University.   The new study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, focused on the impact of ‘interactional justice’, which relates … Continue reading Unfairness at work ups risk of long-term sick leave

Workers who are subject to sexual harassment at work suffer more sickness and are at risk of a wide range of serious health problems as a consequence, a new report has said. ‘It’s not OK’, a special report from Hazards magazine, notes: “The consequence of sexual harassment is that workers suffer physical or mental harm. … Continue reading Sexual harassment at work is a chronic health problem

Employers should be extra vigilant during the office Christmas party season, when sexual harassment can be a particular problem, the TUC has said.   Polling for the TUC discovered 1 in 7 victims of sexual harassment said it took place at a work social event. This number rises to 1 in 5 for women employed by … Continue reading Warning on sexual harassment at Xmas parties

A new government work, health and disability strategy aimed at ‘improving lives’ will do nothing to reduce the enormous toll from work-related ill-health, the TUC has said.  TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson said it is an important area to get right, with only 1 in 8 UK workers having access to an occupational physician … Continue reading ‘Improving lives’ strategy is a dead duck for workers

The momentum of the PCS pay campaign is building as we head into 2018 as we argue that the Treasury pay remit, which sets the parameters for settling pay across the civil service, must formally lift the 1% public sector pay cap for civil servants and enable departments to pay above inflation increases. A ground-breaking … Continue reading After the budget – steps from ballot-ready to strike-ready

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A confidential Unite survey of members employed by MPs and Lords has revealed a ‘toxic’ working environment, with many staff suffering stress and bullying. The survey undertaken by Unite’s parliamentary and constituency branch found that almost a fifth (19 per cent) of respondents had suffered bullying by either their MP or a line manager. Almost … Continue reading Union protection needed against parliamentary bullying