We were ‘Superpickets’, they were just ‘Supercilious’

The PCS ‘Superpicket’, marking the first six weeks of the MyCSP strike, was a massive success. Not only was the turnout so big that we needed a really wide-angle shot to get everyone in; but the atmosphere was great throughout, something which carried on into the ‘after-picket party’ in the Lion.

But while the atmosphere was good outside the building, clearly inside the MyCSP offices, management were projecting some serious toxicity.

Firstly, management fixed up a ‘Teams’ meeting where they’ve told everyone they plan to talk about the industrial action, and promptly sent the invitation to all the strikers, suggesting that they had to attend too.

Then management started threatening strikers with disciplinary investigations for taking part in the strike.

PCS are in the process of writing to the home email address of all members in MyCSP, to respond to management’s latest clumsy attempt at intimidating its own workforce. (Spoiler Alert: If you’re on strike, they can’t make you go to the Teams meeting; and they can’t discipline you for taking part in what the law accepts is a ‘protected strike’).

In fact, when we told one of our Headquarters Officials about the Teams meeting and the threat of discipline, they told Transferring Values:

“I don’t know who’s advising their managers, but it’s entirely possible that they come to work in a Clown Car.”

Gallows 'Poll'

It looks like the same management that has spent the last few months trying to keep unions out of the office, is going to press ahead with its management-run ‘poll’, regarding whether or not there should be union recognition for the office.

Given MyCSP management’s distinct lack of impartiality on the subject; coupled with their obvious fondness for trying to intimidate any members of staff who don’t agree with them, there’s no chance that anyone is going to consider their ‘poll’ as anything other than an attempt to manufacture an anti-union position in the workplace.

Incidentally, management’s little foray into pretending to listen to people, has once again meant that MyCSP has found its way into the pages of Civil Service World. You can find the article here. Enjoy.