Driving Test Examiners Announce Two-Day Strike

Driving test examiners will stage a two-day strike on 19 and 20 November in a dispute over working hours.

The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents around 1,600 Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency staff, will walk out over new working patterns.

The union says these changes to work hours will mean members working longer shifts.

The strike action will affect 360 sites across the UK, including examiners who carry out vehicle safety checks.

Members of the Prospect union, who test heavy goods vehicles and buses, will also take industrial action, striking for three hours from 8am on 20 November.

Helen Stevens, Prospect negotiator, said, "Prospect has been trying to reach an agreement with DVSA for months and industrial action is our last resort.

"The agency, supported by the Department for Transport, seems determined to railroad detrimental changes to terms, conditions and pay on its staff."

DVSA chief executive, Paul Satoor, said: "Staff signed up to a new standard employment contract in April 2014 in exchange for a lump-sum payment and a three year pay deal. This was agreed with the trade unions, and included transitional payments which came to an end on 1 November 2015.

"We have also recently offered operational staff a number of flexible working options to enable us to provide even more convenient and flexible services to our customers.

"It is disappointing that the trade unions have now chosen to oppose some aspects of the contract and the more flexible working options. We are doing everything we can to minimise any disruption to customers."