PCS within Revenue & Customs has developed a set of principles for how we communicate and engage with members and reps via our social media accounts, and our expected standards of behaviour for those who follow and contribute to our page:
Purpose & Usage
The R&C FB Page was created in 2020 to provide a means of communicating key information to members within R&C, to share briefings, som
e of which cannot be shared inside the workplace, or which the employer is unwilling to allow distribution of. It is also a place where R&C members can discuss workplace issues and feedback generic information or views (which would not place the users at risk were such information to be read by the employer or provided to the employer by others). Standards and advice on posting to the page
Users should be courteous and respectful to each other at all times when posting to this page and appreciate the negative and damaging impacts that messages could have on other members. Disagreements are to be expected from time to time and challenge should be raised in a constructive and positive manner allowing for, and accepting, different points of view. This group should be a place where all PCS members can feel comfortable to post information and ask questions respectfully without fear of reprisal. We all recognise the impact and positive role that social media can play, particularly during a worldwide pandemic where members have become physically separated. We also recognise the damaging impacts that toxic social media can have on an individual’s mental health and that the union, its executives, and its members will hold to a high standard to prevent such effects. The following are examples of inappropriate or unacceptable usage of social media:
• Bullying, name-calling or threatening behaviour.
• Trolling of others’ comments and dog-whistle behaviours (coded messages communicated through words or phrases which are intended to hide meaning).
• The use of insulting or offensive language, racism, sexism or any other behaviours intended to harass or denigrate any grouping of members.
• Posting comments that are derogatory or defamatory, spreading harmful rumours, or re-posting other’s inappropriate comments from other groups or personal social media pages.
• Posts which may bring the union, its representatives or its members into disrepute.
• Disclosing confidential or personal information about PCS, its representatives or its members.
• Spamming or other inappropriate content – information which has no relation to PCS business or issues or, is not for the purposes set out above. Responses to posts which fall short of our standards
• Posts which display the above-mentioned behaviours will be hidden or deleted.
• No formal responses will be provided to such posts within the group and such messages will be ignored for further comment. Contacting PCS representatives through this page
Members are strongly encouraged to make use of internal communications within the workplace to address personal issues and to ask for help and assistance. Whilst this page allows for direct and private contact, issues that need escalating within the workplace or need dedicated support should be addressed to:
• Local branches, where personal case worker support is needed, allowing the branch to allocate appropriate resource to provide one-to-one support.
• Group Executive Committee mailboxes which are specific to lines of business or directorates and allow issues to be addressed with the appropriate senior managers of the employer. Mailboxes can be easily found by visiting PCS Yammer pages on the Employers intranet and checking links in the right-hand bar. If members are struggling to find the right contacts, please do make contact through this page and we will endeavour to put members and representatives in touch with the proper contact as soon as possible.
