Mark Serwotka - Congress President 2019
His recovery from a life threatening viral infection after several operations and finally a heart transplant at Papworth Hospital is truly incredible. In recognition he has championed the importance of organ donations during the numerous speeches he has made in the past year as TUC President.
And as general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union he has travelled across the UK at small gatherings and huge rallies, delivering his trademark fiery speeches in support of public services, with added passion because of his personal experience of how the NHS saved his life.
He has completely recovered, throwing himself into the role of TUC president with his usual blend of enthusiasm, humour, hard work – and eloquent diatribes against the Conservative government.
His year – like most people in the UK – has been dominated by Brexit, coupled with fighting the government over the impact of its policies on civil service pay and pensions.
”From the TUC‘s point of view it feels as though we faced a government that has not made any decisions on anything because it has been completely waylaid by Brexit.
”Ministers have failed to engage with unions about manufacturing job losses, insecure work, pay failing to keep up with inflation, the calamitous universal credit, or their decision to renege on legal commitments they gave on public sector pensions.
We have been trying to deal with real issues affecting real people, without any engagement from the government, which is just not acceptable.
Mark started work at 16 with a handful of O Levels in the Department for Health and Social Security as a clerical officer, joining the union on his first day.
He worked in the benefits service for 21 years, including seven years as a part-time worker to help him look after his two children. During his two decades as a civil servant he held a wide range of lay elected union positions.
He was elected PCS general secretary in 2000 – coming straight from the shop floor – and has been re-elected three times.
Mark says nothing in the past year has changed his view that the Conservative government does not factor unions in any of its thinking. He believes the gap is wider than ever.
“In their minds, unions are simply not part of the equation in the way the economy and country are run. That is why there is such a strong feeling among unions that we need a Labour government.”
But there have been some encouraging recent developments affecting the TUC, and PCS, that Mark believes point to a brighter future.
Union membership has increased by 100,000 and has stabilised at PCS despite office closures and job losses among civil servants.
UNISON‘s landmark victory against employment tribunal fees is having a big impact on the rights of workers to take claims against unfair treatment, and unions have been at the heart of campaigns on the unfairness of universal credit.
Years of pay restraint in the public sector are starting to end, and the government was successfully challenged in the courts over public sector workers‘ pensions.
Also, campaigning against a no-deal Brexit has united unions, and Mark hopes that will lead to a closer relationship on the important campaigns to come on jobs, pay and conditions, and the UK‘s relationship with the EU.
Some of the biggest disappointments for Mark this year were losing two national PCS ballots for industrial action because the legal threshold of a 50 per cent turnout was not reached, despite massive support for action. He will now step up the argument for online balloting, which he believes would ensure legal support in any future vote.
“If we could have online or workplace balloting, secure and independently scrutinised, most unions would comfortably meet the threshold.“
A meeting Mark had as TUC president at the headquarters of internet giant Google reinforced his view that technology can play a huge part in future union campaigns, and industrial action ballots.
Technology has already transformed the workplace and could do much more to close the gender pay gap, tackle
discrimination, or increase the number of women in top jobs.
Another highlight of Mark‘s year was addressing the annual TUC Women‘s Conference to express his strong support for women to be treated more fairly.
He has spoken at gatherings of fewer than 20 people in a small hall on a winter evening, to 10,000 at the annual Tolpuddle Festival in bright sunshine, alongside Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and TUC General Secretary Frances O‘Grady.
His speech to this year‘s TUC Congress will include a passionate defence o public services, and a call for a decent social security system, which he fears has fallen from the welfare state developed by William Beveridge after World War Two, to one resembling the Ken Loach film I Daniel Blake, about a man denied employment and support allowance despite his doctor finding him unfit to work.
Some PCS members giving advice on benefits now have to claim benefits themselves because of low pay.
But they are still seen as the “enemy“ by people they are trying to help, says Mark. “That is a salient reminder of how difficult these jobs are.“
Mark will also use his Congress speech to praise the NHS as the greatest creation of the labour movement, and describe how a team of doctors, nurses and other staff saved his life. He strongly argues that the NHS must be protected against any moves to sell off parts of it to American companies under any post-Brexit trade deal.
His PCS office overlooking Clapham Junction railway station displays drawings depicting the bitter year-long miners‘ strike in the 1980s, a reminder of how hard workers have to fight to defend jobs and communities.
The one thing Mark doesn‘t want to be reminded about is last season‘s relegation to the Championship of his beloved Cardiff City football team. But whatever happens to CCFC, Mark will be forever in the premier league of union leaders, admired as one of the most experienced and influential in the movement.
Alan Jones PA Industrial Correspondent
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