HMRC staff announce strike on eve of self-assessment tax deadline in pay dispute
16 January 2025, 17:36
HMRC staff are set to walk out days before the self-assessment online tax return deadline.
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The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) confirmed its members employed by a private firm at HM Revenue and Customs are set to walk out on the last two days of January.
The move could impact millions requiring help with their self-assessment tax return ahead of the January 31 deadline.
The union said more than 300 workers employed by Fujitsu Services UK at offices across the country have been offered a pay rise of just 1.5 per cent.
However, their in-house colleagues received a 5 per cent raise this year for doing similar jobs.
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Members voted by 87 per cent for strike action and by 95.6 per cent for action short of a strike.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: "There is no excuse for workers employed by Fujitsu being offered less than those employed directly by HMRC.
"If the Government was serious about its pre-election pledge to bring in the 'biggest wave of insourcing in a generation' now is the chance to end the scandal of a two-tier workforce.
"It's not too late for ministers to step in, resolve the pay issue and prevent strike action likely to play havoc with people's tax returns."
