UK Tax Staff In Flexi-Spat With Management

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com

31 October 2001

The UK's Inland Revenue, already beset by problems with antiquated and incompatible computer systems and the resulting loss of multiple files, now faces a 'work-to-rule' by staff which the union hopes will disrupt the agency's workings.

Staff will impose an overtime ban from Friday and will arrive late and go home early in a "flexi protest" after rejecting a Whitehall pay offer. Employees plan to leave work this Friday by 4pm - an hour before most tax offices shut at 5pm - and not turn up next Wednesday until 10am, 90 minutes after many are usually on duty. Staff are required on duty between 10am and 4pm, with the freedom to work the equivalent of another hour-and-a-half a day when it suits them. By declining to work earlier or later on specific days, they could disrupt the agency without losing earnings.

The decision to turn flexible working into a new form of industrial action could force managers to suspend the system. Officials in PCS, the main civil service union, believe queues for lifts and stairs if everyone arrives and leaves together might add to the impact. Jim McAuslan, a PCS official, said: "We hope the government will see sense. Tax staff have introduced huge changes and expect to be rewarded."

A postal ballot rejected a complex pay offer from managtement. The union is seeking upwards of 3% and claims a majority would receive only 2.5% of which only 2% would be consolidated in pay packets for future years. The Inland Revenue however calculates the overall offer is worth 4.3% with those at the bottom of the pay scale awarded up to 7.5%.

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