Mark Serwotka
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Mark Serwotka (born 1963) is the General Secretary of the British trade union for civil servants, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). He took office on 1 June 2002. He is seen to be one of the trade union "awkward squad".
His election was marred by controversy when his predecessor, the more New Labour-leaning Barry Reamsbottom, stayed in office after the expiry of his five-year term of office. The dispute was taken to the High Court where Serwotka won.
On his appointment, he agreed to accept only an average worker's wage. When told that this was not permitted by the rules of the union, he took his full wage, but donated everything above an average member's wage to the union strike fund.
Mark Serwotka was a member of Socialist Organiser in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and later a Socialist Alliance supporter. He then became the most prominent trade unionist to support the left-wing political party Respect. In the run-up to the 2005 UK general election he personally endorsed several Respect candidates but stated in interviews that he was "keeping an open mind" about the party.
