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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Home Office staff to strike on eve of Games | Home Office staff to strike on eve of Games |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of Home Office workers are to stage a 24-hour strike the day before the Olympic Games open, the Public and Commercial Services union has said. | Thousands of Home Office workers are to stage a 24-hour strike the day before the Olympic Games open, the Public and Commercial Services union has said. |
| The workers, including Border Agency staff, will walk out on 26 July in a row over jobs, pay and other issues. | The workers, including Border Agency staff, will walk out on 26 July in a row over jobs, pay and other issues. |
| Home Secretary Theresa May said the action was "shameful" as it threatens disruption to people travelling to London for the Games. | Home Secretary Theresa May said the action was "shameful" as it threatens disruption to people travelling to London for the Games. |
| Union members will take other forms of action from July 27 to August 20. | Union members will take other forms of action from July 27 to August 20. |
| This will include working-to-rule and a ban on overtime. | This will include working-to-rule and a ban on overtime. |
| The PCS said 57.2% of those who voted backed strike action - the turnout was 20%. | The PCS said 57.2% of those who voted backed strike action - the turnout was 20%. |
| The action will involve staff across the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau. | The action will involve staff across the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau. |
| 'Breaking point' | 'Breaking point' |
| PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The lives of staff have been made intolerable by these cuts and they're at breaking point. | PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The lives of staff have been made intolerable by these cuts and they're at breaking point. |
| "Ministers have known about these issues for a very long time and need to act now to sort out the chaos they have caused. | "Ministers have known about these issues for a very long time and need to act now to sort out the chaos they have caused. |
| "They're acting recklessly in cutting so many jobs and privatising services, and are provocatively refusing to talk to us with a genuine desire to reach an agreement." | "They're acting recklessly in cutting so many jobs and privatising services, and are provocatively refusing to talk to us with a genuine desire to reach an agreement." |
| Mrs May said: "I think that is shameful, frankly. They are holding a strike on what is one of the key days for people coming in for the Olympic Games. | Mrs May said: "I think that is shameful, frankly. They are holding a strike on what is one of the key days for people coming in for the Olympic Games. |
| "We will of course put contingency arrangements in place to ensure we can deal with people coming through the border as smoothly as possible." | "We will of course put contingency arrangements in place to ensure we can deal with people coming through the border as smoothly as possible." |
| Earlier, Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "People should not be striking during the Olympics. People should not be disrupting the Olympic Games." | Earlier, Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "People should not be striking during the Olympics. People should not be disrupting the Olympic Games." |
| Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the strike, insisting the Olympics would be safe and secure regardless of any industrial action. | Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the strike, insisting the Olympics would be safe and secure regardless of any industrial action. |
| Speaking at a press conference in Afghanistan, he said: "I do not believe it will be right, I do not believe it will be justified." | Speaking at a press conference in Afghanistan, he said: "I do not believe it will be right, I do not believe it will be justified." |
| Planned cuts | |
| The PCS is in dispute with the Home Office on several issues, including plans to cut 8,500 jobs and the threat of compulsory redundancies in the passport office in Newport, South Wales. | |
| There are also disagreements over pay rises capped at 1% following a two-year wage freeze, privatisation of services, and alleged victimisation of union reps. | |
| This week the National Audit Office said the UK Border Agency had laid off 1,000 more staff than intended and was having to hire extra people and increase overtime to meet its workload. | |
| The PCS is one of the largest unions in the UK with around 250,000 public sector members. | |
| PCS members at the Department for Transport have been taking industrial action over the past few weeks, while staff in other departments, including the ministries of defence and justice, are set to vote shortly on how to campaign against cuts. | |
| Will you be flying into the UK on 26 July? Are you a member of the PCS union? What is your reaction to this news? You can send us your comments using the form below. | Will you be flying into the UK on 26 July? Are you a member of the PCS union? What is your reaction to this news? You can send us your comments using the form below. |