Which Union To Join as a New Civil Servant?

pathsofdarkness

I joined the civil service as a Operational Researcher (grade 1 - SO/EO) through GORS mainstream recruitment and have now been at DWP for 2 weeks and am based in London. I'm 34 and earn a little under £32k p/a.

I really like it so far, really nice and welcoming people.

I was making some tea the other day and saw a newsletter on one of the boards by a union called 'Public and Commercial Services Union' (PCS).

I didn't know there was a trade union as no one has given me any information about it. I asked my team about the union but none of them are members or know much about them.

My line manager did tell me that there's another union called 'Prospect' I could look into too and that he had heard that PCS has had some financial difficulties but he wasn't too sure. He was very nice about it and encouraged me to look into it further if I felt it was for me.

I'd like to join a trade union as I like the whole "in it together" type of thinking but I don't know which one I should join. Is one more suitable than the other for operational researcher like me or are they all basically the same?

theoretica

Does the first paragraph of this help? If you contact both Proscpect and PCS they should help you work out which fits your job best.

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/department_for_work_and_pensions_group/reference_library/employee-relations-framework/dwp-policy-statement/dwp-policy-statement.cfm

Meatloaf1981

Unison also are the largest trade union that represent public sector workers. They have a very significant membership and are widely known and respected.

Adereterial

DWP recognises PCS and Prospect, but PCS has by far the biggest membership. There will be a PCS rep in most offices, not sure about Prospect - worked for DWP in various offices for 6 years, encountered many PCS reps, but none from Prospect.

TELLIT01

I've also never heard of Prospect. Worked for DWP over 7 years.

ohreally

I can say that any PCS stewards I've met have generally been well trained and knowledgeable about their role.

lincroft1710

Prospect tends to be for more senior staff, PCS tends to be for those up to EO. Although I hope this has long passed, there was too much political infighting in PCS, so I left and joined Prospect.

Newwashingmachine

What's Unison like? Are they a good trade union to join?

Southend1

Newwashingmachine wrote: »

What's Unison like? Are they a good trade union to join?

Yes they are a good union but likely not the right one for the OP. They represent a lot of nurses, care workers, classroom assistants, health and educational administration staff etc

ohreally

Newwashingmachine wrote: »

What's Unison like? Are they a good trade union to join?

Depends on the branch, some are well run others not so.

Andy_L

Prospect is more relevant for the scientific/engineering/technology posts whilst PCS is more relevant for the administration/policy posts.

It may also colour your thinking that Prospect doesn't make political donations to the Labour party whilst PCS does