PCS Political Fund Ballot

Political Fund Postal Ballot ~ Use Your Vote!

Between 6 October to 5 November PCS is holding a postal ballot on the retention of our Political Fund. By law unions must hold such ballots every 10 years. ARMS members are included in this ballot.

This is important because many of the issues we campaign around in defence of pensioner issues, often in conjunction with the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), would be classed as directly political. Without a Political Fund we would not be allowed to campaign on these issues or, for example lobby MPs.

It should be emphasised that this ballot is not about affiliation to any political party. As most of us worked directly for Government Departments many members will have memories of having to fight Governments of all hues. 

One only has to look at the PCS ARMs Merseyside website to see the breadth of issues that we are campaigning on. In recent months we have campaigned in support of PCS members on strike at My Civil Service Pensions for Union Recognition, supported campaigns against Racism both locally and nationally, marched in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and for an end to the war, and supported the successful campaign to stop road expansion for the Liverpool Docks relief road and save the Rimrose Valley Country Park.

Nationally PCS campaigns for safe routes for refugees, in defence of Social Security and many other issues.

PCS ARMs are also affiliated to the National Pensioners Convention. In conjunction with the NPC PCS have supported campaigns for the restoration of Winter Fuel Payments, better public transport and to defend the Triple Lock.

Without a Political Fund it is unlikely PCS could campaign on any of these issues. Nor could we use the All Party PCS Parliamentary Group to raise issues in Parliament.

It is, therefore, so important that ARMS members in particular vote to retain our Political Fund. As we can’t take strike action the only way ARMS can defend our members is through political campaigning.

Please Use Your Vote and Vote YES to retain the Political Fund for all our sakes. 

And don't forget to drop your ballot paper in the post box. 

Click here for more information about the PCS Political Fund