PCS: Equality staff hit back at employer claims on eve of second strike

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:00 AM

On the eve of a second strike by Public and Commercial Services union members at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, staff have challenged their employer to provide evidence of its claims or withdraw its comments.

As the union's members walked out for an hour in a dispute over cuts last Wednesday (4 May), a statement from the EHRC suggested the union had withdrawn from talks after making "unrealistic demands". Neither of these claims is true. As staff prepare to strike again tomorrow (11 May), the union says no consultation has been offered on the commission's plans to cut staff by more than half, and close its regional offices and helpline.

EHRC, which has already brought forward office closure plans without consulting the union or service users, yesterday (9 May) announced to staff further changes to its structure, pre-empting the outcome of an ongoing formal government consultation on the role of the commission.

The union has twice written to all EHRC commissioners offering to campaign together against the cuts. They did not reply. It has also presented alternative proposals which have received no response from commissioners or senior management.

There has been no offer from the EHRC to discuss the union's demands, which seek to maintain a commission able to fulfil its statutory duties:

. Keep the helpline in-house and integrate it with legal teams and regions to provide a cost effective advice service
. Save more jobs by lobbying against government cuts, and end plans to recruit more senior staff and costly consultants
. Keep regional offices open, as they cost relatively little but losing them will have a major impact on the commission's work with local communities
. Guarantee there will be no compulsory redundancies, like other government employers have done, including most recently the Driving Standards Agency.

The union is campaigning against a 68% cut in the EHRC budget and plans by the commission to more than halve its staff to 200 within 12 months.

The strike coincides with a march in London, supported by PCS, against cuts targeting disabled people. Disability issues account for the highest proportion of calls to the EHRC's helpline.

There will be picket lines between 11am and 12 noon at the commission's main offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, London and Manchester. Last Wednesday's protests were well attended, with Lord Ouseley - former chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, one of the EHRC's predecessor organisations - joining London strikers to show his support.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Instead of making unfounded allegations through the media, the commission should get round the table with us to talk about how to save the very important services that our members provide.

"Trevor Phillips' ideal future would leave nothing left that delivers help to people when they need it. The skills, knowledge and expertise of staff would be lost for ever, while the EHRC spends a fortune making people redundant and employing more directors earning tens of thousands of pounds a year."

ENDS

Notes

- For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

- The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK's sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich - on Twitter @janicegodrich

- Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union

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