PCS union members at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) have won their ballot for strikes and action short of strikes.
The ballot delivered an 84 percent vote to strike on a 70 percent turnout.
This is far above the minimum turnout thresholds in the Tories’ Trade Union Act.
The dispute involves workers including driving examiners, traffic examiners and vehicle testing staff.
Workplaces
DVLA bosses plan to introduce a “flexible working” regime. Staff would be expected to travel to different workplaces in their own time, on top of their working day.
This means workers could be required to work the equivalent of an extra day per week for free.
The DVSA also intends to rip up an interim agreement covering terms and conditions.
The ballot result comes at a time when PCS is launching a national consultative ballot over pay (see above). The DVSA dispute cannot be seen in isolation to the pay campaign. It shows how we can beat the thresholds.
Strikes relating to terms and conditions can be linked to the pay campaign. The slogan of “working longer, harder and for less” has proved successful in linking the issues up.
Reps were set to meet this week to plan strikes, discuss fundraising for members involved, and to put in place a political campaign that seeks to link up with other transport unions as well.
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