Workers within the DVLA's medical section plan to go on strike in January over five days, and its union is to pay them their full pay while they do so. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) has asked those employed within the Drivers Medical sector at its Morriston, Swansea site to strike on the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th next month.
It comes after "one of the highest votes in favour of strike action" at the DVLA, with nearly 94% of members voting in favour of the move. The DVLA itself has hit out at the move, accusing the union of "negatively impacting some of the most vulnerable people in society." Get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
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The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) website reads: "Our rolling programme of action across the UK will see members working for DVLA starting to take strike action from January 9. In our national strike ballot on pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms, which closed last month we achieved one of the highest votes in favour of strike action in the DVLA. In DVLA, nearly 94% of members voted for strike action on a 56.25% turnout, well above the required legal threshold of 50%.
"The initial phase of our strike action will be targeted at areas that will have a significant impact on employers’ operations and the government. We are therefore asking members working on Drivers Medical at Swansea Morriston main site and at the DVLA Birmingham office to take strike action on January 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. For the days that you are on strike you will receive strike pay at your normal full rate of pay from PCS. Details of how to claim this will be sent to members via personal email addresses and details are also available via PCS digital."
A DVLA spokesman said: “The quickest and easiest way to deal with DVLA is through our online services which, along with our Contact Centre, is operating as normal during this period of industrial action. It is very disappointing that PCS is incentivising union members by paying them to take part in action, and by targeting the Drivers Medical department they will negatively impact some of the most vulnerable people in society."
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