Joint DWP and HMRC regional rolling strike action 3 – 7 June.
As part of our national campaign to defend pay, jobs and conditions, all PCS members in DWP and HMRC are asked to take joint regional strike action from 3 June to 7 June.
All members in the following areas are asked to take a full day’s strike action on:
- Monday 3 June – North East and Yorkshire & Humberside
- Tuesday 4 June – North West
- Wednesday 5 June – London & South East and Midlands
- Thursday 6 June – Wales and South West
- Friday 7 June – Scotland and Eastern
The first day of strike action will coincide with the pilot to close 13 HMRC Enquiry Centres in North East England and Yorkshire & Humberside. As well as causing major disruption to the employer, the week will also provide an opportunity to promote PCS’ welfare and tax justice arguments and our alternative to public sector cuts.
All PCS members are involved in a serious dispute with a management that has refused national negotiations with PCS about the pay freeze and the review of terms and conditions. Privatisation is a real threat to thousands of members. Cuts to facility time threaten how the union can represent you.
The one day strike on 20 March and the weekend of strike action on the 5 and 8 April were strongly supported across the whole union. PCS has written again seeking talks, but the government have refused. Therefore, we are now moving into the next phase of the dispute, rolling action across different parts of PCS.
Already, this has involved:
- Walkouts across the Public Sector Group
- Three days of strike action in the Scottish Government
- The start of six weeks of rolling action in DEFRA
- A wave of strike action in the Culture Sector
We are involved in a very difficult dispute with a hostile employer. The refusal of central talks on pay and terms and conditions means that all the main elements of our contracts of employment are no longer subject to negotiation and agreement – but are being set by central dictat.
That’s why members are being asked to take action in forms that they might not have done before. None of this would be necessary if the government would simply discuss the issues centrally and come to an agreement with PCS.
To bring that about we must fight hard. It is a campaign that is key to the future of every PCS member. We must be determined, bold and united.
PCS Bootle Taxes Branch 