2023 Annual Report 

Part 1 Branch President Report

I’d like to start by thanking the outgoing BEC for all their contributions this year. The reps on the branch have all delivered for members this year, giving advice and representation at hearings when needed, while under continuing restrictions on union facility time and balancing their union role with their day jobs.

Notably this year, all the reps on the branch were involved, in their own free time, in assisting the union to deliver the massive yes vote in November 2022 in the National industrial action ballot to beat the 50% legal threshold needed in support of our claim for a 10% pay rise, pensions justice, job security and no cuts to redundancy terms. The union achieved a fantastic result with a massive average Yes vote for industrial action across the areas balloted of 86.2%, the highest percentage vote in the union’s history.

Unsurprisingly, after no meaningful discussions with Cabinet Office occurring targeted industrial action started in December 2022 in selected areas, including border force, and will be continuing for the foreseeable future supported by the member’s levy. Our General Secretary Mark Serwotka met with the Cabinet Office minister In January 2023 who was adamant that 2022/23 pay would not be reopened and Mark stated that the meeting was a farce therefore our first national all out strike on 1st February 2023 , in conjunction with other unions from various sectors, and to coincide with the right to strike campaign, took place and was very well supported by members and the public. I would like to say thank you to all our members who attended our various picket lines and the following march and rally in Liverpool city centre that day. As you will be aware the next day of national action for all members is 15th March 2023 and any members who want to attend our picket lines are welcome. Let’s show the employer we have no intention of letting our demands go, we all deserve a pay rise that at least matches inflation. We need to stay united and fight this and ensure a fair distribution of money. We have had years of pay constraints and sub- inflationary pay rises since 2010 and our living standards have fallen by around 20% in real terms. Enough is enough and our members have spoken.

The interest shown in joining the Union this year means Home Office Merseyside Branch’s membership is now well over 3000 members. It gives me confidence that all our members are fully aware of the need to be in a union in the current economic situation all workers find themselves in and to fight for a decent standard of living. The government is now trying to rush through Parliament new laws that undermine workers ability to take strike action to defend their pay and conditions. We must fight this and any other attempts they will no doubt try, to stop us from our democratic right to strike, and the ability to withdraw our labour. The continuing growth of Industrial

action across various sectors shows the appetite is there to defend workers rights. There’s a lot of work to do in 2023 but the branch are confident we can, if we all stand united and show solidarity to all workers in dispute, tackle whatever the next year brings.

May 2022 saw the retirement of our Branch Organiser Derek Mellor. Derek has been a union activist for over 40 years in PCS and predecessor unions. He transferred from the Inland Revenue to the Home Office in 2000 and over his career has undertaken a number of union roles including Branch officer positions, pitch lead for various departments within the Home Office Group, group executive member, national standing orders committee, and various supporting roles. Derek designed and ran our branch website for which he received the PCS individual national organising and communications award in 2016 at PCS national conference. He also designed and launched our branch online personal cases system which has since been used to manage requests for representation. Since retiring from his day job, apart from following the cricket and propping up the bar at the Lion and other such establishments, Derek has continued to stay in touch with PCS as a member of ARMS and has continued to help with leafletting for Home Office Merseyside Branch and attending picket lines as well as helping to keep the website going. His list of achievements over the years is immense as is the dedication he has shown throughout his union career, especially his default position of waving the rule book to keep the rest of us in check. On a personal note, I would like to thank Derek for supporting me some years ago when the branch was in a difficult position with very few reps. His experience saw me through it and I couldn’t have done it without him. We wish him all the best for the future, but will no doubt see him soon, most likely on our next picket line.

Finally, this year’s Branch AGM will again be a virtual meeting and members will receive an email with joining details. The department has again refused members facility time off work to attend however, this year we will be holding 2 meetings, one on March 6th at 6pm and one on March 7th at 12pm to help members on different shifts to attend. I look forward to seeing you all there. If anyone is interested in becoming an advocate or a rep or wants to get more involved but not sure what it entails, please contact the branch inbox for a chat. It is going to be a busy year again, but I am in no doubt that the incoming BEC for 2023 will be ready for the challenges ahead.

Solidarity

Karen Bolger (Branch President)

Part 2 Organising 

Over the course of this year branch membership has surged by over 1000 new members to just over 3100 and new members are joining every day. The growth in membership is reflective of the growing interest in the wider trade union movement. The way in which we have strengthened across Merseyside has been outstanding, now being one of the largest branches within PCS.

This year we have placed a focus on recruitment and tried to hold inductions where we have been told that new staff are starting. We can only arrange these when we know that new entrants will, or have, taken up post so if you know about new starters joining your team be sure to let us know.

We have held stalls in the Capital Building and Redgrave Court this year and plan to hold more going forward. The last ones were positive, plenty of members came and updated their contact details and we were able to recruit several new faces.

Earlier this year our members delivered impressive turnout in the ballot for industrial action which has led to our first wave of industrial action in a long time. I would like to thank our reps and advocates that spent hours of their own time handing out leaflets outside workplaces and speaking to colleagues ahead of both ballots and industrial action. For many younger members including myself this will be the first time they have been asked to take strike action. The turnout at all of our picket lines on the 1st February was inspiring, it was great seeing so many turn out to show their support for the cause.

A lot of effort has been made this year to encourage members to update their personal details on PCS digital. Currently around a third of all members are signed up to use PCS digital. Those numbers are encouraging compared to where we were a year ago especially given the total increase in membership. It is important that every member signs up to check that the details we hold are correct to avoid and potential legal challenges from the department.

It should be noted that PCS represents members in every Civil Service department. It has come to our attention that some members who have moved elsewhere have resigned their membership then re-joined PCS in their new workplace. This isn't necessary. All you need to do is email the branch inbox and let us know where and when you are moving. We will contact PCS HQ and arrange for you to be transferred to the appropriate PCS union branch.

Whether you are new to the Home Office or have been around a while and not yet got round to signing up just go to pcs.org.uk/join to find out how to join PCS. I would suggest that everyone should have a conversation with their family, friends and colleagues about joining a union.

Finally, I would like to thank all members for continuing to be apart of our movement and look for forward to another positive year were we can strengthen and deliver positive outcomes for all.

Adam Holmes (Branch Organiser)

Part 3 Health & Safety

2022 was a relatively quiet year in comparison to the previous 3 years when Covid took up most of our time, most of the Covid measures have now been lifted.

During the year we conducted H&S Inspections across the Merseyside Campus buildings, providing our findings in reports highlighting concerns, suggesting recommendations/improvements, there was no significant findings, mainly general House Keeping concerns. All the issues identified were acted upon by the employer.

Towards the end of the year and into the new year the Branch was informed that a number of staff received electric shocks in 101 Old Hall Street when plugging laptops into the desk top power supply, this is of great concern to the branch, it is alarming that such incidents happened on the same floor within a few weeks of each other, it is imperative that the incidents are reported correctly so they can be fully investigated and reported, RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences) may be required to be sent to HSE (Health & Safety Executive), therefore it is extremely important the incidents are correctly detailed and accurately reported, information can be found on Horizon about reporting accidents and near misses.

The Branch requested that the floor be closed off until the incidents had been fully investigated and the cause found and resolved, we held daily meetings with senior management and the Campus Lead during this period to ensure we was fully briefed and able to provide input. The floor was closed for around a week while the investigation took place and PAT (Portable Appliance Test) carried out on all the power supply sockets across the floor.

After testing was complete the branch was reassured that all relevant testing was complete and the floor safe to reopen. Another electrical incident has since taken place on another floor involving a PC base unit, the employer believes this latest incident is not related to the previous incidents and referred the concern/fault to I.T. Now.

I wrote to the official H&S Team to gain assurance that the incidents are being dealt with accordingly and in line with H&S Legislation, I received confirmation that the H&S Team are fully aware of the incidents and that required H&S protocol is being complied with.

The Branch will continue to monitor the situation closely, and continue to prioritise the health and safety of staff.

Dean Barron (Health and Safety lead)

Part 4 Finance

We receive our funding from PCS allocated funds from member’s subscriptions. The purpose is to reimburse reps who may need to spend money or travel during their dealings with members but are subject to guidelines to ensure frugal and necessary use. The year 2022 has seen our branch continue to embrace technology more than ever before for meetings and personal cases and as a result of this we have had very little expenditure for this year.

The funds are allocated from members contributions. Members can be assured of how frugal this branch is, making full use of technology and which keeps costs down and enables money to be put towards fighting funds and campaigns benefitting us all.

PCS HO account had a balance of £636.34 at the end of 2022.

We have received £72.54 from PCS central in total between January – December 2022.

As our branch has had little expenditure for the year 2022, and have a healthy bank balance we will not be expecting any funding from PCS central for the year 2023. This to ensure that members money is not wasted and placed where needed in other areas of PCS.

Workers Beer Company account

This account is funded by members working festivals in the summer while spending their leisure around the festival events. In 2022 we did not receive any money from this source, but we still had a credit of £109.85

In November 2021, the BEC met and agreed to donate £25 to the AFGHAN appeal fund through Sefton CVS – although this was processed after 31 December 2021, the workers beer account now currently sits at a balance of £84.85 for 2022.

No further expenditure from this account leaving us a balance of £84.85 for 2023.

Helen Gilbert (Branch Treasurer)

Part 5 Personal Cases

Members often need individual assistance from PCS with work-related matters. In union-speak this is known as a “personal case”. This report gives members some insight into the number and variety of cases handled by your branch reps in 2022.

PCS Home Office Merseyside Branch provides advice on how to contact us if you need advice or representation and what to do if there are problems with your reps getting facility time to represent you. The advice is for members, reps and managers. Please familiarise yourself with this guidance.

Our online system for members who need representation was introduced by PCS Home Office Merseyside Branch in 2016. 

To give members a flavour of the range of requests for assistance that your local reps have received, the end of year statistics reported to Branch Executive Committee for 2022 are reproduced below. 

2022 personal cases by month

January 14

February 10

March 12

April 9

May 8

June 9

July 7

August 14

September 15

October 16

November 13

December 9

2022 personal cases by work area

Asylum 31

Border Force (inc. Intel) 7  

Criminal Casework 2

EU Settlement (Casework) 41

EU Settlement (Contact Centre)  7

Immigration Enforcement (inc. Intel) 3

Nationality 17

Refused Case Management (Now part of ACSC) 12

Other 12

2022 personal cases by site

101 Old Hall Street 13

Capital Building 87

John Lennon Airport 1

Redgrave Court 25

Seaforth Docks 3

Shannon Court 3

Other 3

2022 personal cases by issue (by self-declaration)

Bullying/Harrassment 7

Discrimination 7

Misconduct 8

Pay 3

Performance Management 23

Probation 4

Sickness Absence 62

Terms & Conditions 11

Other 29

The Branch Executive Committee will be reviewing the cases over the last 12 months to identify any specific issues or "hotspots" from 2022 to establish whether there are issues that need to be raised with management locally that may mitigate in future the number and nature of cases arising.

Jacqui Halsall-Hughes (Assistant Secretary)