Civil servants working in a Government department will go on strike from Tuesday in a dispute over issues including office closures.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government based in Newcastle will walk out from April 22 to May 2, while those working in Birmingham, Exeter, Sheffield, Truro and Warrington will strike for four days.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “It’s high time the Government and the ministry began to listen to their staff and put an end to these reckless, regressive decisions to close local offices while rigidly enforcing mandatory office attendance.
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“They should start thinking strategically, considering the vital projects that local offices deliver for our communities, and enhancing flexibility to allow staff to choose how and where they perform their jobs in a manner that benefits both them and the communities we serve.”
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We have engaged with unions and staff about a number of proposals – including plans to expand five offices outside of London and close six offices over the next two years, as leases come to an end."
Last month, unions warned that as many as 50,000 people could lose their jobs and vital services could deteriorate after Rachel Reeves confirmed plans to cut civil service running costs by 15%.
The chancellor said was looking to cut back the civil service, which she said had swelled during the pandemic, by slashing its “back office functions, the administrative and bureaucracy functions” by the end of this parliament.
Ms Reeves said at the time she was “confident” civil service numbers could be reduced by 10,000, but one union chief said the cuts could lead to some 50,000 staff being let go.