Passport Workers Set to Strike for Five Weeks Across UK
Over 1,000 Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members working at Passport Offices across England, Scotland, and Wales are launching a massive five-week strike. The walkout will hit seven key offices in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough, and Southport from April 3 to May 5.
Meanwhile, Passport Office staff in Northern Ireland are being balloted and could join the strike if the vote swings in favour. The ballot closes on March 17.
Union Furious Over Pay, Pensions and Job Security
The strike dramatically escalates the ongoing dispute over pay rises, pensions, redundancy terms and job security. With summer holidays looming, passport delays are expected to soar, causing chaos for holidaymakers nationwide.
Government Slammed for Ignoring Union Concerns
“The government has treated its workforce worse than anyone else in the public sector,” PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka thundered. “Despite two massive strikes and half a year of targeted action, ministers have refused to hold meaningful talks or improve the paltry 2% pay rise.”
Serwotka blasted the government for a total failure to address mounting staff worries. He warned that the current approach risks leaving civil servants struggling amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Cost-of-Living Crisis Hits Civil Servants Hard
Staggeringly, 40,000 civil servants have reportedly turned to food banks, while 45,000 claim the very benefits they help administer. Serwotka called this “a national scandal” and “a stain on the government’s reputation.”
The union demands urgent action to boost pay and protect jobs before the passport chaos worsens.
