Civil servants in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have voted for strike action over plans to close six offices.
MHCLG civil servants working in offices in Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington have voted by 78.49% for strike action on a 66% turnout in a ballot held by the PCS union.
The department unveiled proposals to close the six regional bases in November, affecting hundreds of officials. It said the closures would coincide with the expiry of leases at the sites over the coming two years – but would be accompanied by expansion at five other locations: London, Wolverhampton, Darlington, Manchester and Bristol.
MHCLG has also committed to retain offices in: Nottingham, Leeds, Cambridge, Plymouth, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Liverpool, Hemel Hempstead, Hastings, and Norwich.
The union is holding another ballot for its members in all other MHCLG offices, which closes on April 9.
As part of the potential industrial action, MHCLG officials are also demanding changes to recruitment practices and the 60% office attendance rule.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “These office closures not only threaten the livelihoods of our members but also remove the presence of the government department responsible for local communities from some of the most deprived areas in the country.
"As the main face of the Employment Rights Bill, the deputy prime minister must match her words with action and listen to her own workers.
"Members are deeply concerned about how these closures may affect their ability to rebuild local government, promote regional development and deliver on Labour’s mission to build 1.5 million new homes. They stand ready to strike to defend their offices, their communities and their employment rights."
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “We will continue to engage with unions and staff about a number of proposals – including plans to expand five offices outside of London and close six offices over the next two years, as leases come to an end.
“The department will continue to have offices in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles in one of these locations.”
The department also pointed to its work in recent years to grow its presence outside London: currently 45% staff are based in the regions, compared to 23% in 2020.