Tax workers to stage strike over double grievance

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at HM Revenue and Customs will walk out for three hours from noon in protest at plans to hand “sensitive data” to private companies, which they fear will lead to job cuts.

The union said around 20,000 of its members will be involved in the industrial action over a planned year-long trial using private staff in contact centres in Bathgate, Scotland and Lillyhall, Cumbria.

PCS officials said the private staff will handle enquiries about tax credits and will have access to sensitive data about people entitled to claim them.

In a separate issue, all the union’s members in HMRC’s UK offices will walk out between noon and 2pm over a new sickness absence system, which the PCS said threatens staff with disciplinary action.