Public and Commercial Services Union

You are:

Transport workers continue strikes against cuts

26 July 2012

Staff from the UK's 39 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices threatened with closure will join other Department for Transport colleagues in a walkout tomorrow in an ongoing dispute over cuts.

DVLA workers, non-examiner staff in the Driving Standards Agency and other staff from the central department will be on strike between 2pm and 5pm as part of the latest in a month of rolling action in the transport sector.

This follows a month of strikes in June among PCS's 8,000 DfT members designed to complement an ongoing national campaign against cuts to pensions, jobs and pay, which included a strike across the civil service, health and education sectors on 10 May.

Despite widespread opposition, including from 79% of respondents to a government consultation, ministers confirmed earlier this month that they plan to close the DVLA offices.

As well as putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk, the closures would wipe out the high quality face-to-face services these offices provide to the public and motor traders, whose often complex enquiries could not be handled by telephone or online.

Transport strikes in June, this month and scheduled to run into August also include action by driving examiners and coastguard staff in coastal rescue centres, half of which are also set to be closed by ministers.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "These strikes show that our members care deeply about the work they do for the public and will not sit back and allow government ministers to go on a smash and grab raid of our public services.

"As the latest figures show ministers are wrecking our economy through a slavish obsession with cuts."

 

View all News

  • Visit PCS social sites:

Tab Bottom

  1. Directory
  2. Contact Us

Tab Bottom content

  1. About PCS
    Campaigns
    Equality
    News and events
    Resources