More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union working in the passport offices in England, Scotland and Wales will go on strike for five weeks. According to an official statement employees in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport will stage a protest from April 3, 2023 to May 5.
The strike comes as a result of the union’s long-running dispute over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security, the statement said. “This escalation of our action has come about because, in sharp contrast with other parts of the public sector, ministers have failed to hold any meaningful talks with us, despite two massive strikes and sustained, targeted action lasting 6 months," PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said.
According to the organization the strike will significantly impact the delivery of passports and other passport related services as the summer approaches. The union has been demanding 10 percent rise in pay as inflation in the country reaches over 10 per cent.
“They seem to think if they ignore our members, they’ll go away. But how can our members ignore the cost-of-living crisis when 40,000 civil servants are using foodbanks and 45,000 of them are claiming the benefits they administer themselves?", the union leader said.
“It is a national scandal and a stain on this government’s reputation that so many of its own workforce are living in poverty,” he further added.
