Thousands of civil servants yesterday launched ‘indefinite’ industrial action after being ordered to attend the office three days a week.
Approximately 4,000 Land Registry employees working in 14 different offices nationwide will be refusing to carry out specific tasks starting on January 21. This decision will have a significant impact on individuals who rely on the service, such as prospective home buyers.
The industrial action will be ‘action short of a strike’, meaning there won’t be full-blown walkouts at present.
But staff will refuse to cover for absent colleagues and to take on extra work outside their job description or grade, potentially creating backlogs.
Union influence is being demonstrated once again, following the significant pay raises given to leaders shortly after the new Labour government took office. These pay hikes exceeded the rate of inflation, showcasing the power of labor unions in negotiating for their members.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), a proactive union representing civil servants, is the driving force behind this recent action. The union has not dismissed the possibility of organizing larger strikes in the future. Members of the PCS who work at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have already voted in favor of strike action in response to being required to work in the office for a minimum of two days per week.
Scotland Yard office staff also announced industrial action this week after being asked to return to the workplace more.
Meanwhile, PCS members at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are campaigning for a four-day working week.
The Public and Commercial Services union’s new general secretary Fran Heathcote (pictured)
Nearly 4,000 Land Registry staff at 14 offices across the country will refuse to do certain work from January 21 in a blow for people reliant on the service (File image of its former office)
The union claims this would reduce sickness-related absences and save £20million a year.
Land Registry staff help safeguard the ownership details for £8 trillion-worth of property and land.
It holds more than 26.5million ownership titles covering more than 89 per cent of the land mass of England and Wales.
Anyone buying or selling land or property, including taking out a mortgage, must apply to register new ownership with the body.
Last October, the Cabinet Office said civil servants must spend at least 60% of their time in a government building or on official business.
The Land Registry said it has always aligned its expectations with official guidelines.A spokesman said: ‘We will continue to closely monitor any effects the action may have and respond as needed to maintain essential services that support the property market, such as searches, registrations (including expedites), and customer contact.’
PCS boss Fran Heathcote said: ‘Our members at the Land Registry are disappointed the employer imposed changes to their working conditions without prior agreement.
‘We call on management to work with us to find a solution that’s fair and acceptable to our members.
Land Registry staff help safeguard the ownership details for £8 trillion-worth of property and land (pictured: Office in Croydon)
’It must ballot members every six months for industrial action to be legal, with the current mandate starting on December 23.
But in a press release issued by the union it threatened that the industrial action would be ‘indefinite’.
But William Yarwood, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group, said: ‘Taxpayers will be disgusted by the sight of quangocrats throwing their toys out of the pram over what is a very reasonable request.
‘A key part of becoming an adult is recognising that sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to, such as turning up to work. It’s embarrassing that staff at this body have forgotten this important fact.
‘Bosses at HM Land Registry should take a firm line with civil servants refusing to use the office space taxpayers pay so handsomely for.’
Shadow Housing Secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: ‘Only having to work three days a week in the office is a luxury for many private sector employees and a below the minimum requirement for many businesses and organisations.
‘The customer must always come first and this refusal to comply with a reasonable request is particularly galling when you consider there are huge backlogs of up to two years for applications to be processed by the Registry.
‘Productivity, efficiency and value for money for the taxpayer should be the priority and striking over having to work in the office three days a week shows how much power the union’s think they have over a weak Labour Government.’
