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Revenue staff in strike ballot over working practices

22 June 2006

Approximately 8000 PCS members working for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in 10 Large Processing Offices (LPO's) across the UK, have started voting in a ballot for industrial action in a dispute over the deskilling of work.

The ballot for strike action, and action short of a strike, follows the introduction of new working practices into HMRC called 'LEAN'. The new working practices are leading to staff reporting that they have to work in a culture of corporate bullying, with their work being deskilled and in some cases leading them to exposure to the risk of repetitive strain injury.

HMRC management have rejected moves by the union to reach a negotiated outcome which included an offer by the union for a joint evaluation of 'LEAN', the implementation of appropriate safeguards for members as well as an agreed implementation programme.

HMRC have so far spent £7.4 million on consultants during the introduction of LEAN leading to calls by union for a parliamentary inquiry.

The 10 Large Processing Offices involved in the PCS ballot are:

  • Centre One (Glasgow & East Kilbride)
  • NEMA (Newcastle and Northumberland)
  • ChapelWharf (Salford)
  • Sefton (Liverpool)
  • Wrexham
  • Cardiff
  • East Hants & Wight (Portsmouth)
  • Leicester & Northants
  • West Yorks and Craven (Bradford)
  • Lothians (Edinburgh)

The ballot closes on the 5 July with the result announced shortly after.

Commenting, Frank Campbell, PCS senior national officer for HMRC said: "The introduction of the new style working practices which break up individual tasks is leading to the deskilling and demotivation of a committed and skilled workforce. We had hoped that we could reach a negotiated outcome, but management have so far indicated that they are unwilling to do so. They do not want a joint review of the system, yet spend millions on unaccountable consultants, what have they got to hide?"

Mark Serwotka, PCS, general secretary added: "Members are quite right to be angry that they are being forced to meet unreasonable targets, which in some cases is even leading to repetitive strain injury. It is ironic that in an age where the government is placing a huge emphasis on creating a skilled workforce across the economy, that we have one of the biggest government departments introducing working practices designed by consultants, that reduce the workforce to robots.

Senior management need to start engaging constructively on the issue with the union before ploughing with the roll out of such demoralising working practices."

 

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