Wingfield House Campaign Letters

2 new letters have been added to the branch website.

These are designed to be the first steps in our campaign to stop the proposed closure of Wingfield House in Portsmouth.

Please see a local TU rep if you want to help at all with the campaign.

Your Branch Executive Committee (BEC) and local reps will be keeping you up to date with the campaign, but you can do your part by writing your local MP to make him or her know how any closure will directly affect YOU.

We want to keep Wingfield House open, and above all, we want to protect all our members locally and nationally from the loss of their jobs.

Please keep an eye on these pages for all the latest news on the campaign.

Closure threat hangs over Wingfield House

Wednesday 25^th January 2012. That’s a date that will stick in the mind of PCS branch members in Portsmouth, and particularly those at Wingfield House.

This was the day that the threat of job cuts came over from our fellow branch members on the Isle of Wight to one of the two main HMRC offices on the mainland.

Wingfield House, the 10 storey building which houses about 450 staff, has been announced as an office proposed to be closed by 2014-2015. This office holds staff from a number of business streams – PTOp`s (Customer Operations and a Contact Centre), a High Net Worth Unit, Local Compliance, RIS Operations, DMB Field Force and National Minimum Wage staff.

Members of staff were told the news at 10am by business heads on each floor and whilst shocked, they reacted calmly and with dignity. Management proceeded to advise staff that one-2-one meetings will be offered to all staff, with the ambitious completion date of 29^th February 2012, and that feasibility and equality assessments will be completed with a view to a final decision on the proposal by the end of April 2012.

Staff were told that the proposed migration route for staff was to Lynx House, an office that already appears pretty full with about 800 staff already in occupancy!

Kerry Fairless, who addressed members at Wingfield House

Local TU Reps were briefed just before the announcement and were supported by Revenue & Customs Deputy Group President Kerry Fairless.

Local TU members held an Office Meeting at 11.30am, where Kerry told them that this was only a proposal at present and that in other locations local staff had opposed, campaigned and managed to reverse such proposals when they stuck together and took unified action.

Kerry outlined the one-2-one arrangements, reminded members that they could be accompanied by a TU rep if they wished and that those meetings were the place to have their say about ANY issues that will arise with any proposed move to Lynx House.

Kerry fielded questions from members, not least how HMRC could fit “a quart into a pint pot” of 1250 staff into a building that looks pretty full already with 800 staff.

Both Kerry and local reps advised the members that they were prepared to mount a campaign to try to save the office. However, staff were understandably stunned by the news and went away to think about that.  Local reps will gauge that local feeling at the 3 Office AGM`s that will take place in the next 14 days at Wingfield House.

Local TU reps and members were very grateful for Kerry`s presence.

Local TU reps and BEC members met with Kerry after this meeting. They discussed the announcements and groundwork is already being laid for a campaign to reverse this threatened closure.

The local rep`s also identified that if the closure of Wingfield House goes ahead, it will mean job losses in Portsmouth. Local rep`s also recognised that it couldn`t be assumed that only staff in Wingfield would be affected. ANY staff, whether they were at Wingfield or Lynx House, had the same threat hanging over them now. There will be a “Lynx Effect”.

This is a battle that we all need to fight and branch members must stand TOGETHER. This is all part of the job-cutting programme across HMRC and customer operations staff are particularly threatened nationally, with 8,000 posts earmarked for the chop.

Local TU rep`s will keep members informed with flyers and via this site.

There is an early opportunity for local TU member`s in PTOp`s to show how they feel about creeping privatisation and the threat that poses to our public service jobs. They can show their opposition by taking part in large numbers in the 24 hour strike on Tuesday 31^st January.

Members outside of PTOp`s cannot take strike action on this occasion, but you can show your support by taking leave where possible, contributing to the PCS Hardship Fund or visiting your reps and TU colleagues on the picket lines.

 

YOU ARE THE UNION – STAY STRONG & STAY UNITED

 

 

Further Action on Privatisation Dispute – Mon 16th Jan and Tues 31st Jan 2012

 

Back on 12^th December, members in PTOp`s (contact centres, customer operations and enquiry centres) within the branch joined with colleagues across the country in taking action against call handling trials at contact centres in Bathgate and Lillyhall. This action was really well supported in most parts of the country, with contact centres in Liverpool and Cardiff in particular, having almost 100% turnouts.

HMRC are still proceeding with these trials and has now awarded separate contracts to two private sector companies, Teleperformance and Sitel. HMRC has not made significant movement and the Group Executive Committee (GEC) has therefore decided that;

There will be further action on 16^th and 31^st January. On 16^th January we are asking all members in PTOp’s to take the following strike action:

• Walk out of work at 10am for 30 minutes, returning to work at 10.30am;
• Walk out of work at 4.30pm for 30 minutes, and either return to work at 5pm if you are due to work beyond 5pm or finish work for the day;
• Members on shifts that finish after 7pm are asked to leave work 30 minutes before the end of their shift. Members due to finish work at, say, 8pm would therefore leave at 7.30pm.
• Do not work overtime.

In addition, with effect from 13 December, the GEC are asking all members in PTOp’s areas to take the following action short of strike action:

• Work strictly to rule by following the precise instructions as set down in the Call Type Process (CTPs) or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); 
• Take appropriate DSE breaks i.e. breaks away from your screen of between 5 or 10 minutes after every complete hour of working;
• Do not work overtime.

Locally, we will hold off-site meetings just after the 10am walkouts on 16^th January – by the Union Tree at Wingfield House and adjacent to the overflow car-park at Lynx House. We can update on future action in this dispute on 31^st January and other National issues – notably where we are with the pensions issue and the national campaign.

Please support the action, DO NOT work overtime and make sure you take your DSE breaks. Every hour  of overtime worked brings someone near you closer to potential redundancy.

Your local and Branch Executive Committee (BEC) will also use these meetings to update you with details of the issues in Customer Operations – where proposed job cuts of 8,000+ are likely by 2015.

This is likely to have a direct affect on Cust Op`s staff locally & around the country.  If Contact Centre work goes outside to private companies then Cust Ops staff, particularly at AO Grade may have big difficulties,  as  many of the open jobs in compliance will be mainly in higher grades Not all AOs will be able to do these.

Other  Issue– yourBEC would like to specifically remind members that the downgrading of work is a real issue. No PCS member should be forced to undertake work above their grade and you should advise your rep if you feel this is happening. 

Future Events – an early flag-up from the BEC of the Branch Annual General Meeting. This will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 6^th March 2012 at Portsmouth Labour Club, Arundel Street. This is the most important meeting of the year. Steve Ryan, Assistant Group Secretary PTOp`s, is already confirmed as a guest speaker.

Where can I find other information? – details of the national issues can be found on the PCS website @  www.pcs.org.uk and latest information on the National Pensions issue can be found on those pages via a link on our branch site. Also, there is the Portsdown Vectis site @ www.pvbpcs.wordpress.com  You can find out about all local and national issues, containing comment and information that cannot be circulated at work. You will be interested in Members Briefing MB 028/11 –which is linked here. For both sites, please take a look, but we advise you access at home.

Stay strong and united. Support the action. Unity is our Strength

Pacesetter Ballot/Further Action on privatisation dispute

There is currently a ballot on the Pacesetter Agreement between HMRC and PCS. This ballot runs from Tuesday 13^th December 2011
until Monday 9^th January 2012.

There will be members meetings at 11.30 am on Tuesday 20 Dec in Wingfield House Canteen, at 11.30 on Wednesday 21 Dec in the Lynx Canteen and at 5.30 pm in Lynx Canteen for the evening shift. Time-off with pay of 30 mins has been agreed for members to attend and discuss this issue.

Full details of the ballot and proposed agreement, can be found in Members Briefing 27/11 (MB027/11), which has been sent to you by email recently. Please follow the links in the briefing because this is an electronic vote, for which you will need to register on the PCS website. Please refer to the email or any local rep if you have any questions.

Thank you- Your local Branch Executive Committee (BEC) would like to thank all those branch members who have been so supportive during the recent action taken, both on the National issues of Pensions, Pay and Job cuts, and the Revenue and Customs specific issues of Attendance Management and the threat of Privatisation within PT Operations. Members Briefing 25/11 details the next steps, but we cannot circulate this electronically – see below.

Our union is only as strong as it`s membership – Unity is our Strength.

Where can I find other information?

 Full details of the national issues can be found on the PCS website, which is @ www.pcs.org.uk If you wish to find out about Revenue and Customs Group issues, choose the “PCS where I work” dropdown and then “HM Revenue and Customs”. Please access the site in your own time or at home.

We also have the website you are currently looking at. You can find out about all local and national issues, and it will contain comment and information that we cannot circulate at work. You will be particularly interested in Members Briefing MB025/11 which we cannot circulate electronically at work.

Please also keep an eye on our NOTICEBOARDS, which we keep as up to date as possible.

If you have any questions please ask one of your local reps.

Action on the 12/12 starting @ 12

Attendance Management Policy

Why are we taking further action? – Negotiations have been on going between HMRC and the Group Executive of PCS and some progress has been made. However, on the main sticking point of the arbitrarily imposed consideration points of 5 days/3 occasions, not enough progress has been made and your negotiators are very concerned that a mechanistic approach will be used in some areas of HMRC to Attendance Management.

Who will be involved in the action? -All PCS members.

What will the action be? – A walkout on Monday 12/12 at 12pm to 2pm. This will involve taking your lunch break plus any remaining time being classed as industrial action (not flexi).

What do we aim to achieve? – Put further pressure on HMRC Management to revisit their Attendance Management Policy and allow our negotiators to get a better deal for all members.

Privatisation Dispute

Why are we taking action? – HMRC has announced plans to press ahead with the use of 2 private sector contractors to handle calls for the next 12 months on a trial at Bathgate and Lillyhall Contact Centres. Members in PCS PT Op`s (ex-Cust Contact and Cust Ops) have already been balloted and have voted to take strike action and action short of a strike on this issue. HMRC have shown no sign of halting this trial, so the Group Executive of PCS have asked that members in PT Op`s take action.

Who will be involved in the action? – PCS members in PT Op`s.

What will the action be? – A walkout at Monday 12/12 at 12pm to 3pm. This will involve taking your lunch break plus any remaining time being classed as industrial action. This action will be concurrent with the Attendance Management action for the first 2 hours.

What do we aim to achieve? – A withdrawal of the Privatisation Trial in PT Op`s and a confirmation of our union policy of public services being worked by public employees.

How will this work?

Your TU Reps at Wingfield House and Lynx House will lead members out of the building at 12pm on the 12^th December, to assemble at the usual offsite meeting places. We will have brief meetings to discuss the issues, so that we can feedback to PCS HQ.

Members outside of PT Op`s will be walked back in at 2pm, and then at 3pm, members in PT Op`s will be walked back in.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ACTION YOUR JOB MAY DEPEND ON IT

Any questions please see a rep and check out the Notice boards

Branch members & reps together at the rally - N30

November 30th – Why it`s important we take action

Wednesday 30th November will see up to 3 million public sector workers, from up to 29 Trade Unions, taking strike action, predominately on the common issue to all – arbitrary changes to long-standing pension arrangements by the ConDem Government.

PCS was at the forefront of this campaign, but the dispute is about more than just pensions for us in PCS and our branch in HMRC – it is about thousands of job losses, local office closures, a 2 year pay freeze and changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. PCS R&C Group has also worked closely with the Tax Justice Group to champion the “Alternative to the Cuts”, which is to fully staff HMRC & close the tax gap by collecting the missing billions not collected.

Members & guests give the red card to pension changes

How to show your support on N30 

“We need to make today a visible Strike day! We need to be seen and heard, so don’t stay at home hidden away, come along and visit the picket line outside Wingfield House, Lynx House or Broadlands House on Isle of Wight. Or just come along to the rally in Guildhall Square Portsmouth at midday.” – Patrick Smyth, Branch Chair, PCS Portsdown Vectis Branch

“We as FDA members stand together with our colleagues in (the) PCS to fight for fair pay and fair pensions. Public Sector pensions are affordable now and their costs are projected to fall. The FDA continues to put the case for more jobs in HMRC, not less, to help defeat the deficit. We support the TUC day of action of 30 November – Steve Williams, President, South of England ARC

 Guildhall Square Events

PACT supporters have managed to arrange for Seize the Day to play in the Guildhall Square.from 11.30

3 minute speeches from the trade unions involved start around 12 Noon.  This is where we will be holding up our Red “Hands off my Pension ” cards to demonstrate the number of members affected and we are saying No.  There will be speakers at the rally from PCS and other unions such as Unison, NUT, and NASUWT.

The march will leave the rally at the Guildhall Square at approximately 12.30, following a route around the city and back into the Guildhall Square, arriving approximately 13.30 pm.

Ballot in Personal Tax

Members are being asked to vote YES/YES to both questions:

• Are you prepared to take part in strike action?
  Are you prepared to take part in industrial action short of a strike?

• Members to take will be aimed at causing maximum disruption to the department whilst minimising the financial implications for our members.

• If HMRC is not prepared to abandon its plans to move ahead with its privatisation trial then PCS will ask members to take will involve short walkouts of up to two hours during busy periods, both during the day and on evening shifts

• If no further progress is made, this will be repeated at regular intervals.  Members will also be asked to adhere strictly to their job contract by refusing to undertake duties without reference to their job description.

Action  

If you are in PT Custops (CAR & other members in compliance are not balloted this time) watch out for your paper- Members who do not receive a ballot paper by Monday, 7 November should call the R&C group office on 0207 801 2884/5 to request a replacement ballot paper. You will need your membership number or NI number.

THE BALLOT CLOSES ON 17 NOVEMBER – PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR 2ND CLASS PRE-PAID ENVELOPES ARE RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT SCRUTINEER BY THAT DATE.

 

A copy of the flyer enclosed with your ballot forms is available here