Members of the Prospect union at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) have voted for industrial action following a breakdown in talks with management over pay, terms and conditions.
The action is expected to disrupt driving tests, annual (MOT) testing for heavy goods vehicles and passenger service vehicles, specialist schemes such as individual vehicle approvals and roadside enforcement activities.
Helen Stevens, Prospect negotiator, said: “Prospect has been trying to reach an agreement with DVSA for months and industrial action is our last resort.
“The agency, supported by the Department for Transport, seems determined to railroad detrimental changes to terms, conditions and pay on its staff.
“Our hard-working DVSA members are frustrated by management’s intransigence. We have tried everything to resolve this and we do not want our action to have an impact on the public, but we have no choice.”
The industrial action is expected to start on Friday, November 20, with a short strike from 0800 to 1100hrs, followed by an indefinite work to rule.
DVSA Chief Executive, Paul Satoor, told CBW: “Staff signed up to a new standard employment contract in April 2014 in exchange for a lump-sum payment and a three year pay deal. This was agreed with the trade unions, and included transitional payments which came to an end on 1 November 2015.
“We have also recently offered operational staff a number of flexible working options to enable us to provide even more convenient and flexible services to our customers.
“It is disappointing that the trade unions have now chosen to oppose some aspects of the contract and the more flexible working options. We are doing everything we can to minimise any disruption to customers.”
