Hundreds to strike in Rayner’s MHCLG

Over 1,180 civil servants will strike as ministers return from recess over office closures, recruitment and attendance policies.

Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will strike in September over office closures, recruitment strategy and attendance policies rolled out by the department without union consultation. Department bosses refuse to act without ministerial direction and the minister – Angela Rayner MP – refuses to meet employees.

Over 1,180 MHCLG staff will strike on the 1 September as ministers return from parliamentary recess. Further action will see over 170 staff strike from 2 to 25 September, while other staff continue long-running action short of a strike. PCS reps at MHCLG will be seeking:

  • alternatives from the department to retain a presence in the locations due to close (in Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington) while also guaranteeing that those in offices that have closed suffer no net loss of income or time ahead of these alternatives being developed
  • a new recruitment policy to prevent deliberate de-staffing of offices and arbitrary differential treatment
  • changes to office attendance policies to give staff enforceable rights, to improve flexibility for staff, including parents, carers or those experiencing financial hardship, and commit to default remote working for staff who need and request it, such as those living with a disability
  • guarantees that no member of staff can be disciplined or suffer detriment on the grounds of office attendance, provided they attend an office for at least 40% of their working days (proportionately reduced for those with exceptions or contractual variations)

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said:

“Office closures do nothing to serve the department's goal of tackling regional inequalities. Ministers will see staff speak with their feet when they return from recess. Senior management have been clear: they will not seek to resolve this dispute without ministerial direction. Angela Rayner talks the talk regarding workers’ rights, she must now walk the walk and intervene to resolve this dispute.”