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HM Revenue and Customs staff striking over job cuts | HM Revenue and Customs staff striking over job cuts |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Up to 44,000 Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff are striking over job cuts and "creeping privatisation", the PCS union has said. | |
The Public and Commercial Services union said between 75% and 80% of its 55,000 HMRC members were on strike, closing some face-to-face tax offices. | |
Members are protesting about plans to cut 10,000 HMRC posts by 2014/2015. | |
HMRC said it was too early to say how many staff were on strike but that it was not yet aware of any disruption. | |
The union says a lack of resources means billions in tax is lost annually through evasion and avoidance and the "massive cuts" will make things worse. | |
HMRC says it is on target to increase its tax take from compliance work and is "disappointed" by the strike. | |
A spokesman for the PCS - which says it represents more than three-quarters of HMRC staff - told the BBC News website that members had manned picket lines at tax offices up and down the country on Monday morning. | |
He said that, where face-to-face offices were open, they were being run by skeleton staff and that "no real service" was being provided. | |
He said the PCS did not yet have specific numbers for offices that had been closed or disrupted. | |
"We're pleased with the support we've got but it's no surprise the turn-out is so high as morale in the department is rock bottom," he added. | |
"Cuts coming down the track will make the situation far worse." | |
Recorded messages on HMRC helplines advise members of the public to call back later in the week because of a possible backlog caused by the industrial action. | |
Ahead of the strike, HMRC said it had sought dialogue with the PCS "to address their concerns and will work to minimise any disruption to our customers". | |
"In our 2010 spending review the government made £917m available to us to tackle avoidance, evasion and fraud. This is being used to increase our tax take from compliance work by £7bn a year in 2014/15 which we are on target to do." | "In our 2010 spending review the government made £917m available to us to tackle avoidance, evasion and fraud. This is being used to increase our tax take from compliance work by £7bn a year in 2014/15 which we are on target to do." |
Meanwhile, the leader of Britain's biggest union Unite has told the BBC that more strikes and industrial action are inevitable. | Meanwhile, the leader of Britain's biggest union Unite has told the BBC that more strikes and industrial action are inevitable. |
Len McCluskey said the action could continue "for the next few years". | Len McCluskey said the action could continue "for the next few years". |
'Off the hook' | 'Off the hook' |
The PCS said the latest plans for job cuts follow about 30,000 job losses since the department was formed in 2005. | The PCS said the latest plans for job cuts follow about 30,000 job losses since the department was formed in 2005. |
In May, the Public Accounts Committee said an additional £1.1bn in potential tax revenue could have been collected over the previous five years if compliance and enforcement staffing levels had not been cut. | In May, the Public Accounts Committee said an additional £1.1bn in potential tax revenue could have been collected over the previous five years if compliance and enforcement staffing levels had not been cut. |
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the case for investment in public services "could not be more obvious than it is at the HMRC". | PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the case for investment in public services "could not be more obvious than it is at the HMRC". |
"Yet the government wants to cut 10,000 more jobs from the department, letting the wealthy tax dodgers off the hook and punishing the rest of us for a recession we did not cause," he said. | "Yet the government wants to cut 10,000 more jobs from the department, letting the wealthy tax dodgers off the hook and punishing the rest of us for a recession we did not cause," he said. |
The union says it is also opposed to year-long trials using private companies to handle tax credit enquiries at two centres in Lillyhall, Cumbria, and Bathgate, West Lothian. | The union says it is also opposed to year-long trials using private companies to handle tax credit enquiries at two centres in Lillyhall, Cumbria, and Bathgate, West Lothian. |
Mr Serwotka has described it as "creeping privatisation" in HMRC. | Mr Serwotka has described it as "creeping privatisation" in HMRC. |
He said the strike will be followed by other forms of action such as a ban on overtime. | |
PCS members were among tens of thousands of public sector workers who joined a 24-hour UK-wide strike on 10 May over government changes to pensions. | PCS members were among tens of thousands of public sector workers who joined a 24-hour UK-wide strike on 10 May over government changes to pensions. |