Thousands of civil servants to go on strike ...for a month

THOUSANDS of civil servants will take part in a month of industrial action around Christmas, hitting driving tests, airport passport control and ports.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said yesterday workers in the Home Office, Border Force, Department for Transport and Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs would walk out in mid-December.

Some workers will take action for a month, while others will walk out for shorter periods.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the industrial action will affect driving tests and the issuing

‘Significant disruption’

of driving licences, as well as passport control at airports.

He said exact details of the walkouts will be announced nearer the time to give the Government as little notice as possible. More action will be announced next month.

Thousands of PCS members will be involved in next month’s action, but Mr Serwotka said the union will escalate the action unless the Government starts addressing its concerns. He urged ministers to deal with the causes of the dispute rather than concentrate on contingency plans in response to industrial action.

‘There could be significant disruption, but I hope there isn’t any,’ he said. ‘None of these people want to go on strike but they are suffering in terms of poverty, low pay and cuts to terms and conditions.’

A government spokesman said: ‘We regret this decision. We greatly value the work of civil servants across the country, but the PCS union’s demands would cost an unaffordable £2.4 billion at a time when our focus must be on bringing down inflation to ease the pressure on households across the country.

‘Discussions will continue but we can provide reassurance that we have comprehensive plans in place to keep essential services running and to minimise disruption.’