Holiday Rentals News - Passport workers begin three-day strike over pay

Passport workers begin three-day strike over pay

Passport workers have begun a three-day strike. The strike over pay will hit the UK's seven regional passport offices and 68 interview offices.

The strike by almost 3,000 workers at the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) means that passport interviews will be cancelled and the issuing of passports will be delayed, according to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). Workers are striking over the government's policy to cap public sector pay, and to close offices.

The strike is taking place during one the busiest periods of the year for the IPS, and is likely to cause disruption for holidaymakers who find that their passport has just expired, reports The Telegraph. New documents can normally be issued within 24 hours for an extra fee, but this service will not be available throughout the strike.

The seven passport offices affected by the strike are London, Liverpool, Peterborough, Durham, Newport, Glasgow and Belfast.

Mark Serwotka of the PCS said: "It is disgraceful that long serving passport staff should receive no pay rise for the fifth year in a row and that efficient hardworking staff should be rewarded with a pay cut in real terms."

Plans have already been drawn up to close the Glasgow office, which could result in over 100 job losses. The PCS fears that resources are being diverted from passport processing to the introduction of ID cards. It is expected to take workers several days to clear the backlog created.

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