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Passport office staff to strike | Passport office staff to strike |
(10 minutes later) | |
Thousands of passport workers are staging a 24-hour strike on Friday in a dispute over pay. | Thousands of passport workers are staging a 24-hour strike on Friday in a dispute over pay. |
The Public and Commercial Services Union said 2,500 of its members would be walking out. | The Public and Commercial Services Union said 2,500 of its members would be walking out. |
The strike will affect offices in London, Peterborough, Durham, Belfast, Liverpool, Glasgow and Newport. | The strike will affect offices in London, Peterborough, Durham, Belfast, Liverpool, Glasgow and Newport. |
The action is in protest at the lack of a pay offer two months after the settlement date and will be followed by a week-long work to rule. | The action is in protest at the lack of a pay offer two months after the settlement date and will be followed by a week-long work to rule. |
The union has warned that processing of passports will be "severely disrupted" by the action. | |
Workers have also voiced anger that the cost of a passport had risen by 50% in the past year. | |
General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The union has been pressing for a formal pay offer, but management have shown a distinct lack of urgency by dragging their feet and cancelling pay negotiations. | |
"Members are angry at the apparent inertia of the employer who had stated that it wanted to settle this year's pay as quickly as possible. | |
"Staff fear a repeat of last year when it took management over a year to make a formal pay offer. | |
"Those taking strike action on Friday will be demonstrating that they are not prepared for the agency to carry on dragging its feet." |
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