DVLA staff in Swansea to stage further 5 day strike

The strike, by members of the PCS union is likely to disrupt the printing of driving licences and impact on other print jobs at His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

It follows an earlier 5-day walk-out by PCS members on 9 January.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We warned ministers that our action would spread if they ignored our demands, and we’re good to our word.

“In failing to come to the table with any new money, the government has failed its own workforce – the very people they praised for keeping the country running during the pandemic.

“If the government was serious about resolving the dispute, ministers could resolve it tomorrow. Instead, they’re shamefully hiding their heads in the sand, hoping we’ll go away. We won’t.

“Wednesday will see the largest action by our union in a decade, with 100,000 of our members all over England, Scotland and Wales telling the government they demand a pay rise now to help them through the cost-of-living crisis and beyond.”

The DVLA has said that its online services will continue as normal.

A spokesperson for the government department 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.”