100,000 British civil servants to strike on February 1

Around 100,000 British civil servants have announced plans to strike on February 1, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced, in an escalation of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The union members will take action across 124 government departments, affecting a range of public services including driving tests, passport applications, and welfare payments, the PCS said in a statement.

It said a further 33,000 union members in five more government departments, including HMRC, were re-balloting next week to join the strike.

The date chosen by the PCS, February 1, coincides with the “protect the right to strike” day called on Tuesday by the Trade Unions Congress. That is meant to protest the government’s proposed minimum service levels legislation, which seeks to limit strike action in key industries.

Civil service unions, including the PCS, Prospect, and the FDA, for senior civil servants, will meet Cabinet Office ministers on Thursday as the government attempts to avoid further strike action.

The unions have warned that the government will need to come up with a meaningful offer on pay and conditions if it wants to avoid industrial action.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government is already struggling to contain widespread industrial action across sectors including public transport, the National Health Service (NHS), and the Border Force, as unions protest against real-terms cuts in pay amid the fast rising cost of living.

The government has so far failed to stem the workforce unrest, despite a series of meetings between ministers and unions on Monday.

MG