PCS strikes escalate with new action announced

PCS members working at the British Museum are to take strike action during February half term, as the union's long-running national dispute over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security escalates further.

More than 100 members of the museum’s visitor services and security teams will take seven days’ action from February 13 in a move likely to lead to the building’s closure for the final week of the hieroglyphs exhibition.

The same day sees more than 60 PCS members start five days’ action at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Wales.

The strike between February 13 and 17 is likely to disrupt the printing of driving licences and impact on other print jobs at His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The announcement comes as 100,000 PCS members in 123 government departments prepare to walk out on February 1.

And in a separate dispute, PCS members working as legal advisers and court associates in more than 80 courts across England and Wales have announced a new four-day strike in their long-running dispute about using the failing Common Platform system.

Some 300 PCS union members will take action from February 3 to 6. They are also on strike today.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We warned ministers that our action would spread if they ignored our demands, and we’re good to our word.

“In failing to come to the table with any new money, the government has failed its own workforce – the very people they praised for keeping the country running during the pandemic.

“If the government was serious about resolving the dispute, ministers could resolve it tomorrow. Instead, they’re shamefully hiding their heads in the sand, hoping we’ll go away. We won’t.

“Wednesday will see the largest action by our union in a decade, with 100,000 of our members all over England, Scotland and Wales telling the government they demand a pay rise now to help them through the cost-of-living crisis and beyond.”