Home Office strike announced for eve of Olympics

-

The Public and Commercial Services Union announced today that its Members across the Home Office will strike on Thursday 26 July – the day before the start of the Olympic Games.

It’s part of a long-running dispute over job cuts, pay and privatisation and the action includes staff across the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau.

The Home Office has responded angrily to the announcement, tweeting this afternoon:

“The PCS leadership should be ashamed of themselves.”

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

PCS General Secretary, Mark Serwotka, said:

“The lives of staff have been made intolerable by these cuts and they’re at breaking point.

“Ministers have known about these issues for a very long time and need to act now to sort out the chaos they have caused.

“They’re acting recklessly in cutting so many jobs and privatising services, and are provocatively refusing to talk to us with a genuine desire to reach an agreement.”

However, the CBI criticised the union’s move. John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said: “As the world arrives in London for the Olympic Games, every one of us should be giving our guests the warmest possible welcome. For PCS to go on strike on this key day beggars belief. For it to happen because of a vote by 11% of staff is simply outrageous.”

Latest news

Iran conflict and rising costs push UK job vacancies to five-year low

Falling vacancies and weaker payroll numbers are adding to concerns that economic uncertainty and rising business costs are cooling recruitment activity.

Public fears AI job losses as entry-level roles come under pressure

Most workers fear artificial intelligence will destroy jobs and damage opportunities for young people as businesses accelerate AI adoption.

Government launches major overhaul of mental health care with focus on prevention

Ministers have launched plans for a major overhaul of mental health care with greater focus on prevention, workplaces and early intervention.

Employers prioritise cost control over growth as confidence remains weak, CIPD says

Rising labour, energy and operating expenses are keeping employers cautious on hiring, pay and investment despite a modest rise in recruitment intentions.
- Advertisement -

Ciara Harrington: Why an AI strategy without skills visibility is just guesswork

Organisations are racing to adopt AI, but does the workforce actually have the skills to use it in meaningful, productive ways?

Maureen Kyne on hidden problems in workplace reporting

“Upward bullying is frequently buried within aggregated HR reporting, labelled as ‘conflict’ or ‘personality clashes’, masking its true impact and preventing meaningful oversight.”

Must read

Sue Brooks: Talent metrics an imperative for the future of HR

The use of big data and the ability to...

Teresa Budworth: What would you have done 10 years ago?

Few of us will ever forget the events of...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you