PCS: Jobcentre call centre staff name strike date

PCS: Jobcentre call centre staff name strike date

PCS: Jobcentre call centre staff name strike date

Thousands of Jobcentre Plus (JCP) call centre staff will strike on 18 April after bosses refused to improve working conditions and customer service, the Public and Commercial Services union announces.

In a ballot of the union*s 7,000 members in JCP*s 37 call centres across the country, 70% of those who took part voted for strike action.
The turnout was 43%.

Following this strong result, the union agreed not to call any industrial action to allow negotiations to continue. But senior managers have shown little willingness to resolve the dispute.

The action will follow a well-supported two-day strike in January by more than 2,000 workers in JCP*s seven newest contact centres who have been forcibly moved from processing benefit claims to handling enquiries by phone.

The union wants to improve the levels of customer service in call centres; end the target driven culture, particularly by changing the way unrealistic *average call times* are used; and introduce proper flexible working arrangements.

PCS*s Department for Work and Pensions group president Jane Aitchison
said: *We are being prevented from providing a good quality service to the public because of unnecessary and unrealistic call centre targets.

*We entered into negotiations in good faith because we care about the help and advice we give to some of the most vulnerable people in society. It*s very disappointing that our management didn*t do the
same.*

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: *With unemployment rising and welfare recipients being blamed for an economic crisis they did not cause, it is outrageous that standards are being driven down in Jobcentre Plus.

*Instead of punishing people who are claiming benefits through no fault of their own, the government should be investing in our public services to help get people back to work quicker and to help our economy to grow.*

ENDS

Notes

– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK*s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich – on Twitter @janicegodrich

– Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union

– The call centres affected are in:

Scotland (strike falls on first day of STUC conference)
– Glasgow
– Clydebank
– Dundee
– Paisley

Wales
– Newport
– Bridgend
– Caerphily
– Pembroke Dock
– Bangor

Yorks and Humber
– Sheffield
– Grimsby x2
– Halifax

Eastern
– Norwich
– Lowestoft
– Southend

North east
– Newcastle
– Middlesbrough

North west
– Stockport
– Blackburn
– Marton Mere, Blackpool
– Bootle
– Liverpool x2
– Preston
– Manchester
– Makerfield, Wigan

Midlands
– Annesley, Nottingham
– Derby
– Coventry
– Telford
– Lincoln

South/south west
– Exeter
– Torbay
– Poole
– Taunton
– Bristol