100,000 civil servants to stage 24-hour walkout in ‘largest strike for years’

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union announced the walkout, which will take place on February 1, on Wednesday evening.

The union said it will be the largest civil service strike for years and signals a “significant escalation” of industrial action after a month of strikes by its members, including Border Force staff.

Members will be striking at key government departments including the Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ofsted and Department for Work and Pensions – as well as bodies including Border Force, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and National Highways.

The stoppage will coincide with the Trades Union Congress’s “protect the right to strike” day, which was announced in reaction to the Government’s controversial legislation on minimum service levels during industrial action.

A further 33,000 PCS members working in five more departments, including HM Revenue & Customs, are next week re-balloting to join the union’s national strike action.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “During the last month, when thousands of PCS members across a range of departments took sustained industrial action, the Government said it had no money.

“But it managed to find millions of pounds to spend on managers and military personnel in a failed attempt to cover the vital work our members do.

“We warned the Government our dispute would escalate if they did not listen – and we’re as good as our word.”

The civil servants’ walkout is the latest in a string of strikes,as industrial action continues across the UK in sectors including rail, education and healthcare.

Wednesday saw thousands of ambulance workers strike in the face of “disheartening” and “demoralising” conditions in the NHS.

Meanwhile Thursday will see rail services on London’s new Elizabeth Line disrupted as members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Prospect walk out for the day in a strike over pay and pensions.