HMRC staff to strike in Newcastle

Staff at HMRC’s Tyneside offices will stage eight weeks of strike action in protest after three union representatives were dismissed.

Transcript

00:00Staff at HMRC's Tyneside offices will stage eight weeks of strike action in protest after

00:04three union representatives were dismissed.

00:07It's said that more than 200 public and commercial service union members will strike at the Benton

00:11Park View ministry site in Newcastle.

00:14It comes after a row surrounding three union reps Gordon Askew, Rachel Farmer and Jewel

00:18Hamilton were dismissed earlier this year.

00:21The workers are set to walk out between December 23rd and February 14th, demanding that the

00:26trio are given their jobs back.

00:28HMRC have said that it has robust plans to continue to deliver services from the Long

00:32Benton offices during the strike.

00:34The strikes will coincide with the deadline for people submitting their tax return online,

00:38although HMRC have stated that those taking industrial action do not work on the self-assessment

00:43helpline.

00:44Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary, has said members couldn't have been clearer in

00:49telling HMRC to stop victimising their reps and give them back their jobs immediately.

00:54The union previously claimed that the three were fired for demanding fair pay, pensions

00:58and jobs.