Public and Commercial Services Union

The department have informed PCS that they intend to remove subsistence allowances for staff working on single day shifts and night shifts. The removal will be staggered over a twelve month period.

They have also stated that they intend to reduce the rate for overnight stays.

This is the reward for staff who have worked so hard to make the juxtaposed controls a success and who showed such flexibility and goodwill following the Channel Tunnel fire.

PCS members save the UK millions

PCS believes that the primary reason for the cuts is cost. None of the other reasons given have any credibility and we will address this in further briefings.

The Department see staff as the path of least resistance in making cost savings. However the PCS has had sight of the Department’s own figures and they make very interesting reading.

In Calais freight the total cost of operating the juxtaposed control is £12,729,007 per annum. The total saving realised through people detection is £424,560,000 per annum.

That is a saving of £411,830,933 per annum to the UK in Calais freight alone.

Disgraceful betrayal of staff

The Department used to trumpet how much money staff on the juxtaposed controls saved the UK. Now, in a cynical reversal, they are looking to make savings from the people who do the work on the front line.

Members originally volunteered to work on juxtaposed controls under the current arrangements. This was reaffirmed following realignment. Staff were not informed that this was a time limited arrangement.

The Department stated clearly and repeatedly that staff would incur the allowances that they currently receive as they were working on detached duty in northern France. People who work on the juxtaposed controls therefore had a reasonable expectation that these arrangements would continue.

The decision to slash allowances is, therefore, a disgraceful betrayal of the staff who have worked for years on captive time away from their families, in poor conditions and often in the middle of the night when the senior managers who made this decision were tucked up in bed.

PCS to ballot for industrial action

The Department have said that this is their final proposal and they are no longer negotiating on this issue. Therefore the PCS are preparing to ballot members in European Operations for industrial action as this is now the only way to bring the Department back to the table.

Don’t volunteer to work in European operations

The Department will be looking to attract staff on detached duty to cover the work of members who may take industrial action. I would therefore urge staff in other locations not to volunteer to work in juxtaposed locations until this matter has been settled.

Regular briefings will follow. If you would like any further information please contact Mark Hammond, Group President mark.hammond@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or your local PCS representative.