Civil unrest and member safety

PCS unequivocally condemns the horrific violent attack that took place in Belfast on Monday. Our thoughts are with the victim, and with their family and friends.

Since then, there have been further incidents of violence and protests in Belfast and in other areas across the UK. We know this is an extremely difficult and unsettling time. Members and reps have contacted us with concerns about the ongoing public disorder - particularly in Belfast, but also in London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Members' concerns

HMRC security teams are currently assessing the position in relation to HMRC buildings. However, members’ experiences show that the situation is wider than this and is affecting them in different ways. Members have raised concerns about:

• Travelling to and from work, or carrying out visits and other operational activity – especially where transport is changing at short notice or may stop early
• What’s happening in the areas where they live – not just around HMRC offices, but across towns and cities where unrest is taking place
• Fast-changing situations – where things can shift quickly, making it harder to plan or feel confident about travelling
• Safety and wellbeing – with some colleagues, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds, feeling more anxious and less safe.

Focusing only on office locations does not reflect the wider reality for many members. There are also wider impacts on how work is managed. Acting early to enable home working can help reduce disruption. Delayed decisions can leave staff unable to travel safely and can lead to more disruption later.

What PCS is calling for

PCS believes a consistent and precautionary approach is needed. We are calling for:

• Clear, timely central messaging, with straightforward guidance that removes uncertainty for staff and line managers
• A relaxation of office attendance expectations during periods of unrest
• Clear assurances that staff should not take risks travelling.

Taking an early, consistent approach - including enabling home working where possible - will help reduce disruption and give staff more certainty. Delayed decisions can leave colleagues unable to travel safely and can lead to greater disruption later.

Where colleagues need to leave work early to travel safely, this should be handled appropriately, including the use of time credits or other arrangements in line with existing policies.

Meeting with HMRC

We met with HMRC today (11) to discuss these issues. They thanked us for raising them and said the feedback had helped them develop an FAQ covering some of the key concerns. This includes, for example, guidance on how to record office attendance on the tool so that staff don’t have to make the time back.

We provided further feedback on additional FAQs to be included, which management said they would consider. 

We also raised the need for some form of Memorandum of Understanding to be put in place for any future situations involving civil unrest. This would help ensure there is a clear, agreed approach in advance, avoiding confusion and inconsistent decisions if similar situations arise again.

The ER team said they would be open to developing something like this further, and we agreed we could arrange a follow-up to take that work forward.

We explained that the Northern Ireland branch has already drafted a strong version of this. The GEC will look to develop that further with a view to agreeing something that can be used nationally. 

Standing with our members

PCS is an anti‑racist union. We oppose all forms of racism and hate, and we stand for equality, inclusion and dignity for all our members. We stand in solidarity with our Black* members, our migrant worker members, and particularly those members directly affected by recent events in Belfast. We recognise that many colleagues are feeling unsafe, anxious and targeted. We will continue to press for a response that reflects this reality and ensures colleagues feel safe and supported.

We also want to thank PCS reps in Northern Ireland, in particular, who have worked tirelessly to support members and get information out in very difficult circumstances.

Support available

If recent events are affecting you, please make use of this support or speak to your local rep:

• PCS racial incident helpline: 020 7801 2678 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm)
• PCS Plus wellbeing support: Includes counselling, wellbeing tools, and 24/7 support.
• HMRC Employee Assistance Programme: 0808 175 9360 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm)

Join PCS

As your trade union, PCS continues to negotiate with HMRC to stand up for your interests. If you’ve read this article and you aren’t yet a member of PCS, then please join today.

*Black: In PCS “Black” is used in the political context to apply to people who are Asian, Chinese, African, African/Caribbean, Arab etc. i.e. people from African and Asian Diaspora, including people of dual heritage.