Staff at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are resisting a directive to spend two days a week in the office, it has been revealed. Over 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at the public body, which is based in Newport, Titchfield in Hampshire, London, Darlington, Manchester and Edinburgh, have stated they will not be "forced back" into the office for 40% of the week.
Employees have already voted in favour of strikes and other forms of industrial action in protest against the push for more office-based work. The union announced that their members will not comply with the instruction from May 8.
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While many staff voluntarily spend more than 40% of their working time in the office, there is widespread discontent about the arbitrary nature of the new directive, according to the PCS. For the latest analysis of the biggest stories, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
A spokesperson said: "Following a promise by management that staff could continue to work flexibly after the Covid pandemic, some workers started families, moved house and made other long-term commitments, safe in the knowledge, they thought, their working conditions were secure."
Fran Heathcote, PCS general secretary, said: "Our members are a highly skilled and capable workforce and they deserve to be treated as such, showing for several years they can successfully manage hybrid working. The new policy threatens serious disruption, especially for staff with childcare and other caring responsibilities, and those who live a considerable distance from their designated office.
"The workforce at ONS is spread across the UK, meaning that regardless of where staff perform their work, most meetings and collaboration must have a virtual presence. Mandated office attendance removes the flexibility and trust that was promised to staff by senior leaders, which staff understandably shaped their lives around, for the sake of meeting an unnecessary attendance percentage."
