Civil servants in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are set to take strike action in April and May over office closures.
PCS has announced strikes at the six offices that the department is planning to close.
Civil servants working in the Newcastle office, which PCS said is under "imminent threat" of closure, will lead the strike with nine days of industrial action on 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 April, and 1 and 2 May. Other offices that the MHCLG has said it will close – in Birmingham, Exeter, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington – will strike for four days starting on 22 April.
PCS said the action is in response to the department’s programme of office closures, office attendance, and recruitment location policies and that the decision to announce strike dates followed “unsuccessful and largely disappointing talks with management”.
A PCS representative from the Newcastle office said the closure of their building “will have a significant impact on our lives and the local community”.
“We need assurances that our concerns will be addressed and that MHCLG maintains an office presence in Newcastle,” they added.
Fran Heathcote, PCS’s general secretary, said: "Our members are taking this action as a last resort. Angela Rayner's department has shown a blatant disregard for our members and the communities they serve.
“We will not stand by while offices are closed, and our members are forced into rigid attendance policies. We demand meaningful negotiations and real commitments to address these issues.”
The union also announced that it has expanded its strike mandate to all MHCLG offices after a second ballot on industrial action resulted in 70% voting in favour of strike action and 86% in favour of action short of a strike, on a turnout of 56%.
This followed the first ballot, of officials working at the six offices threatened by closure, which delivered results of 78.49% backing strike action on a 66% turnout.
PCS said it remains committed to negotiating with MHCLG and is seeking the following:
- A commitment to maintain an office location in Newcastle for at least the next 18 months while negotiations continue
- A commitment to halt all planned office closures until meaningful engagement and consultation take place on the wider office location strategy
- A written commitment to timely and substantive negotiations on recruitment location policies, with the aim of reaching a formal collective agreement
- A commitment to negotiate office attendance policies and for contractual incorporation, based on principles that prioritise staff flexibility and choice wherever possible.
MHCLG has been approached for comment.