Six-month Telford industrial dispute called off as unions claim victory over 'interfering' management
Workers at a Telford office have voted to end a long-running dispute over attendance rules following a management climb-down.
Employees at the Government Land Registry department, including workers at the agency's office on Hall Park Way in Telford, voted to begin taking industrial action in late January after they were told they were required to be office-based for three days a week.
Staff at the Land Registry have been engaged in a "work to rule" action since a ballot in December which demanded an end to the new attendance rules and the reversal of other working changes which they say resulted in staff working above their pay grade.
But at a vote held by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), members decided by 86 per cent in favour of calling off the dispute, after bosses agreed to relax rules on office attendance - which will now be measured over three-month periods instead of weekly.
Following the vote, a spokesperson for the PCS union claimed victory over what they said were "arbitrary and interfering management decisions".
“This successful dispute has been won through the determination of hard-working staff," said PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote.
"Their commitment to delivering a good service at the Land Registry is as strong as their fight against arbitrary and interfering management decisions.
"We welcome these outcomes, we hope that government takes note of the damage that office attendance policies can have on individuals, and I applaud the members who so successfully organised for justice in their workplace."
In October, the UK Government decided that civil servants were required to be "either at a Government building or on official business" at least 60 per cent of their working hours, with senior managers expected to be in the office for most of the week.
The Government said the approach was consistent with other large private and public sector emnployers, and would allow teams and departments to "maximise the benefits of hybrid working and getting the best from being together".
The policy has led to industrial action at both the Land Registry and at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The union said it had secured a "firm commitment" that its members would be consulted again should the Government back down on the policy.
A spokesperson for HM Land Registry said the department was "pleased" to have resolved the dispute.
"While the impact to customers and our service was negligible, we are pleased that the formal PCS dispute has now ended," they said.
"We remain committed to ensuring that our workforce can deliver services effectively and efficiently which includes adhering to civil service attendance policies."
