There is now a massive volume of evidence of the cruel and inhumane treatment, damaging to health and causing death, that social security sanctions are causing.

Sanctions have no place in a civilised society, and it is a reasonable expectation that DWP workers who are members of DWP trade unions, i.e. the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) should not bring harm upon us by implementing sanctions.

We also know that significant numbers of DWP workers have left their jobs or retired early because of their distress at being instructed to carry out sanctioning actions. It is indisputable that the mental health of such workers will be seriously put at risk when they sanction claimants, especially when the outcome is personal injury or death.

We call on PCS members to refuse to serve the DWP in harming us. We don’t want individuals to put themselves at risk of disciplinary action. What is required is collective action to be taken by a trade union.

We therefore resolve to invite and to urge, all union branches, Labour party bodies and others  to join us in issuing, as a matter of urgency, an open letter to the General Secretary and DWP Group President of the PCS union.

We ask them to instruct their DWP members to collectively refuse to carry out any duties connected with sanctioning of social security claimants. We ask for this to be implemented without delay.