Evaluation - How'd it go then.

Well how'd you all think it went then?

From what I've heard it was the most successful PCS young trade unionist week yet.

I know it's only been the second one we've ever had but I still think everyone in the young members network can give themselves a big pat on the back.

I've heard stories of people doing events and getting great responses and signing up a lot of young workers to the network and PCS and that's a great effort to be congratulated.

I've also heard young PCS reps tell me that they put on an event in their area, talked to young people in their office and didn't get the response they hoped for.

I am thankful to all active young members who have put the effort in no matter how many members they did or didn't sign up.

I applaud you all!

I believe PCS young trade unionist was a success and something that no doubt the young members network and it's committee next year will build on and make even better.

That said, my tenure as National Young Members Chair isn't finished yet and I'll be throwing my full support into the PCS national campaign. I'll be trying to raise awareness of our Young Members Charter, the Call Centre Charter and campaigning to fulfill their demands. Finally I will be trying to encourage active young members to stand for next years National Young Members Committee so we have a lively and democratic debate as to who should be on the committee next year.

Hopefully I'll also be able to get out and about from time to time to try and meet and recruit young workers in PCS represented workplaces across the country.

That's it for this blog.

I'll finish this post by copying you into a report from our National Organiser, Tracy Edwards, about her experiences during young trade unionist week.

Thanks.

Mark Chisman.

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Lowestoft contact centre Wednesday 17th Sept:

Over the past two weeks, Alan Warner our Eastern region young members' convenor and Glenn Batty area young member convenor for Suffolk have been planning a young member recruitment day in DWP Lowestoft contact centre.

This centre, has the largest concentration of young members in the region - around 40. Mostly working in the contact centre upstairs from the jobcentre, we were shocked to find out that the majority of them are actually on fixed term temporary contracts. Ranging between 6 - 12 months, the young members we spoke to were increasingly concerned about job security. So when we held our meeting on the premises, they were interested to know that PCS campaigns for better pay, terms and conditions for its members.

Dominic McFadden from the NEC joined us alongside Richard Edwards, an experienced rep who has gained a lot of respect within the region and the DWP group over the years. Around 20 people signed our petition against low pay for young workers, four signed up to the network and one new PCS member was recruited.

This won't be the last we here from this workplace. Plans will be underway to organise a local job security campaign in the area - highlighting the fact that there is no reason why these jobs should not be made permanent and that we will not stand for inadequate training anymore. We are also looking to set up a local DWP Lowestoft young member’s network.

HMRC Merry Hill contact centre Midlands Thurs 18th Sept:

Mary McCrory has played a crucial role in establishing a branch young member’s officer position within the branch and has been planning this event with our Midlands regional young members’ convenors over the past few weeks. The majority of the people working there are young and also PCS members so our focus really was to identify people who are interested in becoming active - four young members have volunteered to become local convenors as a result.

HMRC Merry Hill contact centre is stuck in an industrial estate near Cradley Heath. Alongside this massive centre houses the local court, DWP processing centre and an NHS Ambulance service building. The funniest name for a pub I've seen in a while sits next to the complex - The dog and Lampost.

What wasn't as funny, was when I heard about the recent upheavals one of our young members had to endure. After telling me that she became a bit more active following the birth of her second daughter last year, I couldn't believe my ears when she told me about her living situation. For the second time in five months, Kelly and her two daughters had to move house. Two separate landlords within five months had not been paying the mortgage on the properties and were being repossessed. Despite the fact that she had never missed a rent payment, a whole family had to re arrange their living conditions and get used to living somewhere else. I don't have children, but I just barely begin to imagine how difficult this situation is.

Kelly is a reminder of why the trade union movement is so important - It is only us who have the potential to campaign effectively for publicly owned council housing and services for people who need it and eradicating some of the unnecessary set backs our members face to achieve actual equality for all.

As we were leafleting outside the building at lunch time, we came across a group of 12 school kids who were on their way back to class. I asked them if they knew what a trade union was and the answers were fascinating - one of them thought we were related to marketing and another thought we were a world wide organisation which negotiates trade agreements between countries. Not the fault of the school children concerned, they were all bright, intelligent and pleasant kids - it highlights the need or trade unionists to be going into schools and talking to kids about us. Never is there a more important time - we are currently looking to organise a meeting with the teachers unions to develop our campaign to get trade union studies included in citizenship classes within schools. Seems to me young members are the best placed to be leading in this area of work.

Despite the sunshine, we made our way back into the office. We had a big presence there and the Midlands have a new Area convenor for the West Midlands - Mary McCrory. I know she will play a great role within an already strong region for young member activity.