MB017/11
Ballot of Members in Personal Tax
28th October to 17th November
BACKGROUND
As
outlined in members’ brief MB/016/11, HMRC has set out its plans to
potentially bring private sector providers in to HMRC call centres from
January 2012 for a ‘building
capacity’
12 month trial. A tendering exercise inviting private
sector companies to bid for this work is currently underway.
As
it currently stands all avenues to persuade HMRC to halt this trial have
been exhausted. We have therefore issued notice to
the department that we intend to ballot members in Personal Tax
Operations (PT Ops) for industrial action, including both strike action
and action short of a strike.
We
need to fight now to defend jobs for the future. Our
experience of private sector involvement in the civil service is that it
drives down wages and conditions and results in an inferior service to
the public. Private companies have been waiting in
the wings ready to pounce on profitable public sector contracts ever
since the government announced its plans to cut thousands more jobs in
the civil service.
It
is now critical that all members play a part in ensuring that HMRC drop
plans to move ahead with its privatisation plans in this area and to
provide guarantees that HMRC work will be delivered by permanent HMRC
staff in the future.
ALTERNATIVES
We
believe that the trials could pave the way for further opportunities for
the private sector to get a foothold in HMRC, and that there are clear
and viable alternatives to the use of the private sector to handle
increased workloads. This includes training
volunteers from CustOps sites, who are most vulnerable to job losses, to
help during peak times and to make permanent the 1,000 or so temporary
and fixed term appointment (TFTAs) staff that have been employed to
increase productivity.
We
have challenged the department to abandon plans for both the tendering
exercise and the subsequent trial and instead employ permanent staff to
cover increased workloads. We want additional assurances that public
service provision across HMRC will be delivered by HMRC employees now
and in the future.
BALLOT
Members
are being asked to vote YES/YES to both questions:
The
ballot arrangements are as follows:
·
All
members working in the PT Ops Directorate, that is those members in
Customer Contact, Face to Face and Customer Operations, will be balloted
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The
ballot will start on Friday, 28 October;
·
Ballot
papers will need to be returned to the Independent Scrutineer using the
pre-paid envelope you will receive with the ballot paper;
·
Members
who do not receive a ballot paper by Monday, 7 November should call the
R&C group office on 0207 801 2884/5 to request a replacement ballot
paper. Members will need their membership number or
NI number;
·
The
ballot will close at 12 noon on Thursday, 17 November.
ACTION
Any
action we ask members to take will be aimed at causing maximum
disruption to the department whilst minimising the financial
implications for our members. If HMRC is not prepared
to abandon its plans to move ahead with its privatisation trial then the
action we will ask members to take will involve short walkouts
of up to two hours during busy periods, both during the day and
on evening shifts. If no further
progress is made, this will be repeated at regular intervals.
Members will also be asked to adhere strictly to their job
contract by refusing to undertake duties outwith their job description.
30
NOVEMBER
It
is vital that members continue to ensure they are doing all they can to
help build support for the national action on 30 November. If the
government is allowed to get away with attacking our pensions and
driving down wages and conditions, then a cheaper workforce is a more
attractive option for the private sector. Members can
help leaflet their workplace and get involved in organising local
activities, as well as building links with other workers in other
unions. It is the responsibility of all members to ask non members to
join our union today.
NEXT
STEPS
Your
group executive committee (GEC) is urging all members across the PT Ops
Directorate in Contact Centres, in Face to Face and in Customer
Operations, to vote YES/YES for strike action and action short of
a strike in the ballot to prevent private sector companies getting a
foothold in HMRC.
Public
services, not private profit
Invest
in permanent jobs
Vote
YES for strike action
Vote
YES for action short of a strike
Support
the national action on 30 November
PETER
LOCKHART - GROUP
SECRETARY
LYNDA PRIESTLEY - GROUP
PRESIDENT
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