Holiday fears as Passport Office staff begin 5 week walkout
Union leaders say staff are leaving for better pay in the private sector
Union leaders say striking Passport Office staff are "relying on food banks" as they start a five-week strike in a row over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions, with warnings of a potential impact on the holiday plans of families across the UK.
More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union at eight sites are walking out in an escalation of the long-running row
Picket lines were set up outside the offices in Glasgow, Durham, Liverpool, Southport, Peterborough, London, Belfast and Newport in Wales.
Speaking to Kerrang! Radio News on the picket line in Glasgow the PCS union’s Andrew Bain said: “If this is having an impact on your holidays I do appreciate it is going to be a distressing time for you but we have members of staff who can't put food on the table.
Passports processed slower
He says passport applications are still being processed, but delays should be expected.
"There are still going to be workers inside the office who are not part of the targeted action.
The Home Office said the Passport Office has already processed more than 2.7 million applications this year, adding over 99.7% of standard applications are being processed within 10 weeks, with the majority of those delivered to customers well under this timescale.
There are currently no plans to change official guidance which states that it takes up to 10 weeks to get a passport.
Staff brain drain
Andrew Bain told us pay is the biggest reason for Passport Office staff quitting their jobs.
"We have some of the most experience staff, dealing with complex casework, having to leave and they'll go to the private sector where they're appreciated,” he says.
"We'll have staff leaving here who will go and work at the likes of Tesco for a bigger pay increase for doing less-complex casework,
Brexit pressure
"Since Brexit we've seen a massive increase in applications because people assume they need six months validity to travel"