Socialist Party Wales Socialism In Wales
By Dave Reid
An important section of the workforce at Newport Passport Office have begun five weeks of strike action as part of action by 1,000 Passport Office workers nationally. Members of PCS, the civil service union, in the examination department at the office are taking action until May 5th to fight for a decent pay rise.
The government has offered just 2% while inflation is officially running at more than 10%. Anne-Louise Mackeon-Williams is PCS branch secretary at Newport and she explained the issues behind the action:
“Many of our members have had a pay rise above 2% because they are on minimum wage rates which are rising this month. But the reason they are getting the minimum wage is that they have fallen further and further behind after years of pay freezes and blow inflation rises. [Skilled] decision-makers have not had a decent pay rise for many years which means many are on just 70 pence an hour above the minimum wage. A pay rise of just 2% means their real wages will be falling even more.”
PCS membership has grown consistently at Newport, especially since industrial action was called, rising from 75 members to 140 meaning 83% of the workforce are now in the union. The picket line on the first day of strike action was lively and confident with newly-recruited members joining in enthusiastically – demonstrating that when the union takes action then workers flock in.
A strike fund has been vital for the success of the action allowing strike pay to be paid to the workers taking action.
