Members of the Civil and Public Services Association and the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union have voted to merge from 1st January. The new union, to be called the Public and Civil Services Union, will be the largest civil service union. The NECs of the two unions sold the merger on the basis of industrial logic and improved services to members. It remains to be seen whether a union in which the role and influence of activists has been drastically reduced will be capable of defending members against privatisation and cuts.