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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Emma Munbodh

DVLA workers to strike over Covid safety fears as 2,000 forced to return to office

Workers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea are to stage a four-day strike from May 4 in a dispute over Covid-related safety, the PCS union has announced.

This latest strike follows a three-day walkout on April 6, when 1,400 employees went on strike over health and safety concerns at DVLA offices.

Over 2,000 staff across eight offices are being made to attend the site daily, the PCS union said.

The union is calling for a reduction in the number of staff who need to go into the office to work after concerns were raised following a number of coronavirus cases last year.

The DVLA's offices manage more than 49 million driver records and more than 40 million vehicle records in the UK (Getty)

The union said extensive negotiations have been held to try to resolve the dispute, but claimed managers were insisting that more than 2,000 staff had to go into the office every day.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The arrogance and intransience of DVLA senior management is outrageous and our members have been left with no choice but to take further strike action.

"DVLA and ministers need to understand the levels of fear and anger within the workplace and that our union will support staff every step of the way."

The agency insisted said it had followed Welsh Government Covid guidance "at every single point".

A DVLA Spokesperson told The Mirror: "It is very disappointing that the PCS is pushing ahead for a second round of industrial action in May which will affect motorists as restrictions are easing and the UK vaccination rollout programme is making such great progress.

"Cases of COVID-19 among DVLA staff remain very low, and currently there is just one positive case out of a workforce of more than 6,000 including those working at home.

"DVLA has ensured that it has followed Welsh government guidance at every single point throughout the pandemic having consistently worked with Public Health Wales, Environmental Health and Swansea Bay Health Board to introduce a wide range of safety measures. This has enabled DVLA staff to continue to deliver essential services to the public right across the UK in a COVID-19 secure way."

The DVLA said its online services will operate as normal during any period of strike action.

However, it warned those posting paper applications or trying to reach customer services are likely to experience delays.

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