Members of the Public and Commercial Services union are striking until 5 May in a row over jobs, pay, and conditions.
According to the BBC, the Home Office has confirmed a rise in passport applications but said the amount was “close” to levels estimated. Meanwhile, the PCS union has warned that there could be delays to applications and the delivery of passports in the run-up to summer.
The Passport Office employs over 4,000 people across the UK, with around one in four workers taking action, according to union figures. The strike will cause disruption, particularly as it involves members working in departments that examine passports, which means that passports may not be processed in time for some people’s holidays.
Simon Calder, a travel expert, explained that the Passport Office can receive 250,000 applications per week during peak times, which means that more than one million applications could be sent during the strike period.
The strike action has been taken because the government has refused to increase the proposed 2% pay rise and has “failed to hold any meaningful talks,” according to Mark Serwotka, PCS’s general secretary. Moreover, inflation was 10.4% in the year to February, which means that the pay rise wouldn’t be enough to cover living costs. The government has urged the union to “recognize what is reasonable and affordable, as the whole country faces these cost of living challenges.”
The strike period coincides with a time when people typically apply for passports, as they look forward to summer holidays. This increase in demand, combined with the disruption of industrial action, could cause delays and inconvenience for thousands of people.
While the Home Office confirmed that there were currently no plans to change its 10-week guidance for passports to be processed and sent out, there are concerns that the strike could affect passport processing times. The Passport Office advises people to apply for a new passport 10 weeks before they are due to travel. However, if they can’t wait that long, they can pay extra to get it sooner.
