Disclosure and Barring Service workers to take industrial action before Xmas

Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members working at the Disclosure and Barring Service are to take two weeks’ industrial action in the run-up to Christmas.

The more than 50 Liverpool-based workers are angry at a new customer contact system being imposed on them. They want the changes to be withdrawn or amended before they are introduced in a fortnight.

If managers impose the changes, the PCS members in the Complaints and Complex Enquiries team will take strike action on December 9 and 10, followed by all members in the Customer Services team taking action short of a strike from December 9-24.

Their action is likely to affect people requiring DBS checks for their employment.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Our members working at DBS are the people best-placed to advise on any system changes, so why are they being ignored?

"The new system has met with technical problems but the proposed system as it stands is causing our members a lot of anxiety and stress.

“There are also issues with an outsourced contractor passing complaints about their work through to our members directly employed by DBS, which adds extra stress to their working lives.

“The employer still has time to resolve the dispute by listening to our members and addressing the problems with the new system before introducing it.”

ends