by Lois Austin
It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Tara Blackman. Tara was a very dear friend and comrade of those in the PCS Socialist Party caucus and staff at PCS union. Tara died after a short illness in late February, aged 56.
Tara began working for PCS over 25 years ago. One of her colleagues, Mary, remarked: “We started working for PCS on the same day and from that day until the present she remained consistent in her commitment to the trade union movement. It wasn’t just a job or hobby, it was a reflection of who she was. Tara was always ready to step up and speak out. Even after her illness about a decade ago and her doctors telling Tara to take it slow, she continued to fight for justice and show her support on picket lines. They say you can judge a person by the tracks they leave behind. But they are also seen in the decades of laughter and shared history that we all built together working for PCS. I will miss her every day.”
Tara’s work at PCS included roles as an administrator in the organising department, as the national president’s personal assistant, and as an administrator for the Home Office Group, where she connected with reps. She also spent years as a Union Learn officer, recruiting and training new reps, particularly women and young people. During the Covid-19 lockdown, she joined the London and South East organising team, supporting branches to build union strength.
Tara joined the Socialist Party shortly after starting work for the union. Her party comrade, Terry Adams, recalled: “Tara and l were in the same work team when CPSA merged with PTC to form the PCS. In those early days, the then right-wing bureaucracy pursued a business union model. This did not sit well with Tara. She challenged this form of unionism and argued for a fighting, democratic union to defend our members interests. Tara had enormous energy and enthusiasm which was a million miles away from the cynical and defeatist attitude often encountered in union bureaucrats. Brave, outspoken, and with a great sense of class, when Tara joined the Socialist Party l was proud to have her as a friend and comrade.”
Tara consistently advocated for socialist policies, serving on and off as a rep in the GMB staff branch at PCS. She was a vocal proponent for fighting unions, demanding workers’ representatives be paid a worker’s wage, and often condemned careerist right-wing union officials by simply stating: “They shouldn’t be here!”
Tara was truly warm, kind, and incredibly generous. She had a great sense of humour that kept the office laughing. She always provided the food and tea for lunch break walks and picnics.
Our condolences go out to Tara’s family, her sisters, Emma and Zena, who cared for Tara when she was unwell, and to her nephew and great nephew, who Tara was devoted to.