The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has raised concerns over MyCSP’s plan to run an internal staff poll on union recognition, arguing that a company-led vote may not offer enough impartiality or oversight.

A letter from PCS national officer, Martin Kelsey, to MyCSP chief executive, Duncan Watson, confirmed that the union had recently been formally notified of MyCSP’s intention to conduct the poll, with the union opting to extend its strike action as a result of the lack of progress in the dispute.

According to the letter, PCS were told the poll was being held due to two factors: the fact that the company is part-owned by employee partners, who have a right to express their views on how the business is run, and that union recognition would affect all employee partners, not just PCS members.

MyCSP's communications with the union also stressed its expectation that the results of this poll be respected by PCS.

However, Kelsey argued that the proposal is "nothing that could not have been
explored much earlier" and suggested that a properly overseen statutory ballot might be difficult due to the timing of the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) transfer.

He pointed out that PCS had already followed a formal process to initiate industrial action, including giving notice, holding an independently overseen postal ballot, and meeting the required participation thresholds.

He also claimed that an informal company-run poll, such as the one MyCSP is proposing, would not provide the same legitimacy or oversight as a statutory recognition ballot, which typically involves independent supervision and would allow PCS to engage directly with staff throughout the process.

However, Kelsey emphasised that PCS is still committed to reaching a solution to the current dispute, pointing out that MyCSP has also signalled its ambition to end the industrial action.

"With this in mind, we once again strongly suggest that the best way of accomplishing this, is for the draft agreement, sent to you on 24 July 2025, now forming the framework for taking forward both employee relations and the TUPE talks, for the remainder of the MyCSP contract," he stated.

In the meantime, however, PCS has confirmed that, whilst its initial six-weeks of strike action have now come to an end, it has opted to extend this until the end of September given the lack of progress.

To mark the sixth week of strike action, PCS members also held a ‘super picket’ earlier today (15 August) in Liverpool and Cheadle.

In addition to this, the union launched an e-campaign urging supporters to email Watson to call for formal recognition of PCS and the proper representation of PCS members.

There has been progress in some areas, as Capita, which will take over administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS), recently signalled its intent to recognise the union.

However, wider concerns over how the CSPS is being managed have persisted, as PCS recently argued that CSPS administration has reached a “crisis point” and should be brought back in-house under Cabinet Office management, rather than being run by private providers.

The union’s warning followed criticism from the National Audit Office over poor performance by MyCSP and the Cabinet Office’s lack of accountability.

Pensions Age has contacted MyCSP and its majority owner, Equiniti, for comment, as well as the Cabinet Office and Capita.

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