Coastguards and driving examiners will begin a series of strikes in June to heighten awareness of job, pay, and pension losses, according to the Public and Commercial Services Union.
A three-hour stoppage by the Department for Transport’s driving examiners on Friday, June 8, will be followed by a week-long set of short walkouts from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
“These strikes across the whole range of transport services form a major part of our ongoing fight against cuts to pensions, jobs, and pay,” the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) General Secretary Mark Serwotka said on the Union’s website.
The government plans to close eight of the UK’s 18 coastguard stations, cutting more than 140 jobs, the Union says, with loss of local, life-saving knowledge.
There was a walkout on June 1st by staff in 39 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offices. Throughout June, walkouts have been organised in the DfT’s headquarters and its seven agencies, including the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Highways Agency.
“As well as putting jobs at risk, the DVLA closures would wipe out the high quality face-to-face services these offices provide to the public and motor traders, whose often complex inquiries could not be handled by telephone or online,” the PCS says.
The DSA is urging all who have practical driving tests booked for June 8 and 15 to attend as normal as not all examiners are PCS members.
Exam candidates can cancel or change their appointment if they give the DSA three days notice.
Should those who are booked in and turn up not be able to take the test, they will be informed of alternatives in 5 to 10 days and they can claim out-of-pocket expenses.
Those booked-in examinees who do not attend will not be informed of a re-take and will not be able to claim expenses.
Theory tests will not be affected.
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