MORE than 5,000 Merseyside civil servants are set to stage a walk-out today in protest against working conditions.
Workers at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) service will be among 50,000 colleagues from up and down the country involved in industrial action.
They will leave their desks at 4pm today and again at 11.30am tomorrow.
The walk-out has been organised by the Public and Commercial Services union.
It claimed the department, which is responsible for tax collection, is introducing new sickness absence procedures without the agreement of union members.
The PCS believes the new procedures are aimed at slashing staff numbers as part of the Government’s spending cuts programme.
It fears that would hit members with disabilities hardest.
The walk-outs will be taking place at eight sites in Merseyside, including The Triad, in Stanley Road, Bootle; Litherland House, in Litherland Road, and St John’s House, in Merton Road, Bootle.
Bootle PCS branch secretary John Smith claimed that bosses introduced new rules to give them the power to begin disciplinary action against staff for being signed off sick at a much earlier stage. He said: “The one thing which keeps coming from members time and time again is that this is a way to get rid of members of staff on the cheap.”
