Public sector union PCS is encouraging its members to submit a grievance over the government’s plans to require civil servants to return to offices.
The Public and Commercial Services union last week achieved a vote in favour of strike or action short of a strike among members in the Office for National Statistics, who are protesting against a requirement to be in the office two days a week.
Now the union is suggesting to its members and reps that they submit individual grievances to managers about the plans.
Under guidance from the Cabinet Office issued last year, many departments are insisting that employees return to physical offices for a minimum of 60% of their working week.
Return to office
In a members’ survey last year, 83% of members said they thought hybrid working had made them more productive, and 100% said they would lose valuable time due to extra commuting if they were forced to come into the office more often.
The PCS national executive committee has produced a template grievance letter members can adapt as required.
It is also asking branches and groups in the civil service to think about applying to the national disputes committee to see if there is sufficient support to take industrial action, as is the case with the ONS.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has already launched a campaign to work a four-day week in reaction to the Cabinet Office return to office mandate.
PCS is also awaiting the results of a ballot across the civil service that could see 160,000 members go on a national strike.
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