ONS staff threaten strike action over WFH
CIVIL servants at Britain’s official statistics body have threatened to go on strike after being asked to work in the office for two days a week.
More than 1,000 employees at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are being balloted over strike action after bosses told them to stop working from home full-time.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which is spearheading the push for industrial action, has said that many workers come in “several days a week anyway” while others only accepted a job at the ONS “because they were promised the flexibility to work from home”.
Fran Heathcote, the PCS general secretary, said: “It’s a mystery why managers have changed their minds, especially after having regularly reassured members they could remain working more flexibly.
“No evidence-based business case has been made for their rushed decision – a move that has caused anger among staff demoralised by the lack of trust and the need for rapid changes to their childcare and other arrangements.”
The union has called for talks with ONS management before the strike ballot of its members closes on April 2.
It marks the latest resistance from staff who want to continue working from home as bosses increasingly demand an end to remote practices.
Ministers have been trying to pressure Whitehall staff back into the office at least 60pc of the time, or three days a week for full-time staff, over fears that working from home has cut productivity and increased waiting times for services.
Companies are also tackling the issue. Bank of America earlier this year sent out “letters of education” to its home-working staff threatening them with disciplinary action if they fail to meet minimum office attendance.
Others have imposed full-time office working. HS2 contractor Laing O’rourke last month ordered staff back to the office full-time.
The ONS did not respond to a request for comment.
‘Staff are demoralised by the lack of trust and the need for rapid changes to their childcare’