Serwotka wins PCS battle

The battle for leadership of the PCS civil service union ended on 31 July when the High Court ruled that Mark Serwotka was the legitimate general secretary. The court ruled that the outgoing general secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, had no legal right to remain in office after his five-year term ended on 31 May 2002.

Serwotka, a left winger, had been elected in the year 2000 after the union's delegate conference insisted on an early ballot. Incumbent Barry Reamsbottom, who is on the right wing of the union, came to an agreement with the union that he could stay in post until June 2002. After that date Serwotka would take over as sole general secretary.

However, a few days after the May 2002 conference, Reamsbottom convened a meeting of the new national executive committee (NEC), on which his supporters had a majority, which declared that Serwotka's election was invalid. The court ruled this meeting itself invalid.

Welcoming the PCS ruling, Serwotka said: "I was elected ... on a programme of defending PCS members' jobs, re-establishing national civil service pay and conditions and opposing privatisation."