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==Election as general secretary==
==Election as general secretary==
Serwotka became a union representative in 1980 and a personal case officer in 1995.<ref name=Debretts>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/s/22492/Mark%20Henryk+SERWOTKA.aspx|title=Mark Serwotka|publisher=Debretts|accessdate=2011-03-31}}</ref>
Serwotka became a union representative in 1980 and a personal case officer in 1995.<ref name=Debretts>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/s/22492/Mark%20Henryk+SERWOTKA.aspx|title=Mark Serwotka|publisher=Debretts|accessdate=2011-03-31|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830132131/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/s/22492/Mark%20Henryk+SERWOTKA.aspx|archivedate=30 August 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>


In the 2000 election that saw Serwotka elected General Secretary, he initially faced two rival candidates: [[Hugh Lanning]] of the Membership First faction and the incumbent [[Barry Reamsbottom]] of the National Moderate Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labournet.net/ukunion/0207/pcs6.html|title=PCS Conspiracy Flashback: TUCETU, IRIS, and TRUEMID|date=18 July 2002|first=David|last=Osler}}</ref> However, Reamsbottom did not secure the fifty branch nominations needed to appear on the ballot paper. Serwotka then beat Lanning with 41,000 to 33,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/29/politicalcolumnists.comment|location=London, UK|work=The Guardian|first=Paul|last=Foot|authorlink=Paul Foot|title=Hard to say goodbye|date=29 May 2002}}</ref>
In the 2000 election that saw Serwotka elected General Secretary, he initially faced two rival candidates: [[Hugh Lanning]] of the Membership First faction and the incumbent [[Barry Reamsbottom]] of the National Moderate Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labournet.net/ukunion/0207/pcs6.html|title=PCS Conspiracy Flashback: TUCETU, IRIS, and TRUEMID|date=18 July 2002|first=David|last=Osler}}</ref> However, Reamsbottom did not secure the fifty branch nominations needed to appear on the ballot paper. Serwotka then beat Lanning with 41,000 to 33,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/29/politicalcolumnists.comment|location=London, UK|work=The Guardian|first=Paul|last=Foot|authorlink=Paul Foot|title=Hard to say goodbye|date=29 May 2002}}</ref>
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In 2013 he was fitted with a battery-powered [[ventricular assist device]] after picking up a viral infection from the family dog.<ref>{{cite news|title=Union leader who's kept alive by BATTERIES backs campaign for opt-out organ donor register|first=Kevin|last=Maguire|work=Daily Mirror|date=4 April 2016|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/union-leader-whos-kept-alive-7684138}}</ref>
In 2013 he was fitted with a battery-powered [[ventricular assist device]] after picking up a viral infection from the family dog.<ref>{{cite news|title=Union leader who's kept alive by BATTERIES backs campaign for opt-out organ donor register|first=Kevin|last=Maguire|work=Daily Mirror|date=4 April 2016|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/union-leader-whos-kept-alive-7684138}}</ref>


He was readmitted to hospital on 30 August 2016, when the ventricular assist device developed a clot and his doctors then placed him on the urgent transplant list. In December 2016 he had a [[heart transplant]] at [[Papworth Hospital]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Serwotka has successful heart transplant|url=http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/mark-serwotka-has-successful-heart-transplant|website=PCS Public and Commercial Services Union|accessdate=23 December 2016|ref=heartTransplant}}</ref>
He was readmitted to hospital on 30 August 2016, when the ventricular assist device developed a clot and his doctors then placed him on the urgent transplant list. In December 2016 he had a [[heart transplant]] at [[Papworth Hospital]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Serwotka has successful heart transplant|url=http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/mark-serwotka-has-successful-heart-transplant|website=PCS Public and Commercial Services Union|accessdate=23 December 2016|ref=heartTransplant}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 12:08, 18 January 2018

Serwotka in 2008

Mark Serwotka (/ˈsɛərvoʊtkə/; born 26 April 1963)[1] is General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the trade union for British civil servants.

Early life

Born in a Catholic orphanage in Cardiff, Wales, he was adopted by a Polish-born British father and a Welsh mother.[2]

Career

In 1979, aged sixteen, he joined the Civil Service, and started work as a benefits clerk, joining the union on the first day. [citation needed]

Election as general secretary

Serwotka became a union representative in 1980 and a personal case officer in 1995.[3]

In the 2000 election that saw Serwotka elected General Secretary, he initially faced two rival candidates: Hugh Lanning of the Membership First faction and the incumbent Barry Reamsbottom of the National Moderate Group.[4] However, Reamsbottom did not secure the fifty branch nominations needed to appear on the ballot paper. Serwotka then beat Lanning with 41,000 to 33,000 votes.[5]

Following Serwotka's election, Reamsbottom refused to step down when his term of office expired, citing what he claimed were legal irregularities in the election process.[6] The dispute was taken to the High Court where Serwotka won and subsequently assumed office.[7][8]

In 2005, Serwotka was elected unopposed for another term as General Secretary; no other candidates were allowed to stand as he was the only candidate with the required 25 branch nominations. In 2009, Serwotka was re-elected for a five-year term, gaining 37,866 votes against Rob Bryson's 21,883.[9] In 2014, he was elected unopposed for a fourth five-year term.[10]

In the 2000 General Secretary election, Serwotka pledged that if elected he would only accept the equivalent of an average civil servant's wage. Serwotka returns around £8,000 of his annual salary to the union.[2] In 2011, his total package was worth £126,258 including pension contributions of £27,860.[11]

Political views

Serwotka was a member of Socialist Organiser in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He caused controversy during a speech at the 1985 Annual Conference of the Civil and Public Services Association when he described part-time workers, many of whom were trade union members, as "Scab Labour". He was later a supporter of the Socialist Alliance and then Respect.[12]

In February 2013, Serwotka was among those who gave their support to the People's Assembly in a letter published by The Guardian newspaper.[13] Serwotka attempted to vote in the 2015 Labour Leadership Election, but was among those who had their vote rejected by the party.[14]

In March 2016, Serwotka rejoined the Labour Party after being expelled from it over 25 years earlier.[15] He wrote in The Huffington Post: "Jeremy [Corbyn] is the first Labour leader in a generation who unequivocally supports the unions and his opposition to the trade union bill has been crucial." He added "I have joined to support Jeremy in transforming the party. And I want as many people as possible to join Labour, and to get involved in the fight against cuts where they live. This is our chance to build a social movement and form a government that can offer hope to the millions of people that deserve so much better than these contemptible Tories."[16]

Personal life

Married, Serwotka is an avid Cardiff City fan and lives in Chipstead, Surrey.[17]

Ahead of a visit by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2010, Serwotka was named as one of the hundred most influential Catholics in Britain by The Tablet.[18]

In 2013 he was fitted with a battery-powered ventricular assist device after picking up a viral infection from the family dog.[19]

He was readmitted to hospital on 30 August 2016, when the ventricular assist device developed a clot and his doctors then placed him on the urgent transplant list. In December 2016 he had a heart transplant at Papworth Hospital.[20]

References

  1. ^ "Birthday's today". London: The Telegraph. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2014. Mr Mark.H.Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union, 49
  2. ^ a b "Union boss Mark Serwotka hits out at 'fat cat' claims over £86,000 salary". Wales Online. 24 July 2011.
  3. ^ "Mark Serwotka". Debretts. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Osler, David (18 July 2002). "PCS Conspiracy Flashback: TUCETU, IRIS, and TRUEMID".
  5. ^ Foot, Paul (29 May 2002). "Hard to say goodbye". The Guardian. London, UK.
  6. ^ Maguire, Kevin (24 May 2002). "Union leader refuses to quit". The Guardian. London, UK.
  7. ^ "Left-winger wins union court battle". BBC News. 31 July 2002.
  8. ^ "Case No: HC 02CO1433 Neutral Citation Number: [2002] EWHC 1642 Ch In the High Court of Justice Chancery Division". 31 July 2002. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  9. ^ "Mark Serwotka re-elected". PCS News centre. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Mark Serwotka re-elected unopposed". PCS News centre. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Annual Return for a Trade Union" (PDF). http://www.certoffice.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Key players in the union movement". BBC News. 5 September 2007.
  13. ^ People's Assembly opening letter https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/feb/05/people-assembly-against-austerity 5 February 2013, The Guardian Newspaper.
  14. ^ "Labour leadership: Mark Serwotka of PCS union has vote rejected". BBC News. 26 August 2015.
  15. ^ Waugh, Paul (2 March 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn Allies Mark Serwotka And Matt Wrack Have Been Readmitted To The Labour Party, HuffPostUK Reveals". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 15 July 2017. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Serwotka, Mark (2 March 2016). "I Have Rejoined Labour to Support Jeremy Corbyn". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 15 July 2017. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ Owen, Glen (26 June 2011). "Strike leader has £26,159 paid into his pension pot every year (the average salary of his members is £22,850)". Daily Mail. London, UK.
  18. ^ Bates, Stephen (14 September 2010). "The church that Pope Benedict will find in Britain". The Guardian. London.
  19. ^ Maguire, Kevin (4 April 2016). "Union leader who's kept alive by BATTERIES backs campaign for opt-out organ donor register". Daily Mirror.
  20. ^ "Mark Serwotka has successful heart transplant". PCS Public and Commercial Services Union. Retrieved 23 December 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
Trade union offices
Preceded by General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union
2002 – present 		Succeeded by
incumbent

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