PUBLIC and Commercial Services (PCS) members working in Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s department have voted for strike action over plans to close six offices – including one in Warrington.
They voted by 78.49 per cent for strike action on a 66 per cent turnout.
It is understand about 60 staff could be affected at the Warrington office.
The PCS say the closures would undermine the department’s own commitment to ‘levelling up opportunity and prosperity and overcoming deep-seated geographical inequalities that have held us back for too long’.
PCS members are also demanding changes to rigid office attendance policies and recruitment practices.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “These office closures not only threaten the livelihoods of our members but also remove the presence of the government department responsible for local communities from some of the most deprived areas in the country.
“As the main face of the Employment Rights Bill, the Deputy Prime Minister must match her words with action and listen to her own workers.
“Members are deeply concerned about how these closures may affect their ability to rebuild local government, promote regional development and deliver on Labour’s mission to build 1.5 million new homes. They stand ready to strike to defend their offices, their communities and their employment rights.”
There are two ballots – the one above, which closed yesterday (Wednesday) balloted members based in the six offices at risk of closure; another ballot for all other Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government MHCLG offices closes on April 9.
