UK civil servants begin indefinite industrial action
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
Civil servants across England have launched indefinite industrial action today in response to government plans to close regional offices and enforce stricter in-office working requirements. The move, spearheaded by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union, follows months of tension between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and its workforce.
PCS members say they are protesting not just against the closure of six government offices—located in Truro, Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Warrington—but also against what they call the imposition of “rigid” office attendance policies and the abandonment of “location-neutral recruitment”.
From today, union members across 21 MHCLG offices will begin “action short of a strike”, which includes working strictly to contract and refusing to carry out any duties not explicitly required by their employment terms.
A Standoff Over Flexibility and Fairness
The protest highlights growing frustration among civil servants about what they see as a lack of consultation and a disregard for modern working practices. PCS President Martin Cavanagh sharply criticized the government’s handling of the situation, stating:
“From removing staff from an office before the lease expires to spuriously challenging lawful notices of industrial action, the employer seems intent to avoid proper consultation, disregard fair process, and alienate its staff.
Closing local offices while rigidly enforcing mandatory office attendance doesn’t make sense. The way out of this dispute is to negotiate, not frustrate.”
The decision to close the offices is reportedly tied to expiring leases. However, the government has claimed it is not abandoning regional representation, pointing to office expansions in Darlington, Wolverhampton, and Bristol and maintaining a presence in all UK nations and English regions.
A spokesperson for MHCLG said:
“We have engaged with unions and staff about a number of proposals – including plans to expand four offices outside of London and close six offices over the next two years, as leases come to an end.
The department will continue to have offices in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles.”
Political Reaction and Public Perception
The situation has sparked political debate, with Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Alex Burghart, taking aim at civil servants opposed to returning to the office:
“It speaks volumes that some civil servants are walking out not over pay, but because they’re being asked to show up to work and make better use of public buildings. Most people can’t refuse to travel to their workplace, so why should Whitehall be any different?”
The comments drew criticism from union leaders, who argue the government is conflating reasonable remote work policies with a refusal to work altogether.