DVSA backs down on change to working hours; strike action cancelled.
Following a ballot, 92% of Driving Examiners have voted to strike on October 11th & 12th. This passes the majority required to start industrial action against the reduction in test time and increased hours, with no increase in salary.
Will this affect your test if it is booked on October 11th or October 12th?
Probably, there are no contingencies for strike action and there are no qualified examiners which the DVSA can call on to cover striking examiners. With such an overwhelmingly majority calling to strike there will undoubtedly be a disruption to driving test services. However, if the DVSA decide to back down from their desire to make us work more hours for the same pay then the industrial action will not happen. We don't want disruption to happen, but we also don't want our terms of work to change to make us worse off, financially and mentally.
From https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/members-vote-overwhelmingly-strike-action-dvsa
Update 15/10
The DVSA have backed down in the face of widespread strikes. They have agreed to postpone the increase in working hours, perform a full timing and occupational health study also. As a result the union have agreed to postpone any strike action until further notice.
Victory!
Will this affect your test if it is booked on October 11th or October 12th?
Probably, there are no contingencies for strike action and there are no qualified examiners which the DVSA can call on to cover striking examiners. With such an overwhelmingly majority calling to strike there will undoubtedly be a disruption to driving test services. However, if the DVSA decide to back down from their desire to make us work more hours for the same pay then the industrial action will not happen. We don't want disruption to happen, but we also don't want our terms of work to change to make us worse off, financially and mentally.
From https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/members-vote-overwhelmingly-strike-action-dvsa
Update 15/10
The DVSA have backed down in the face of widespread strikes. They have agreed to postpone the increase in working hours, perform a full timing and occupational health study also. As a result the union have agreed to postpone any strike action until further notice.
Victory!
(edited 2 years ago)
Scroll to see replies
Original post by TheDE
Following a ballot, 92% of Driving Examiners have voted to strike on October 11th & 12th. This passes the majority required to start industrial action against the reduction in test time and increased hours, with no increase in salary.
Will this affect your test if it is booked on October 11th or October 12th?
Probably, there are no contingencies for strike action and there are no qualified examiners which the DVSA can call on to cover striking examiners. With such an overwhelmingly majority calling to strike there will undoubtedly be a disruption to driving test services. However, if the DVSA decide to back down from their desire to make us work more hours for the same pay then the industrial action will not happen. We don't want disruption to happen, but we also don't want our terms of work to change to make us worse off, financially and mentally.
From https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/members-vote-overwhelmingly-strike-action-dvsa
Will this affect your test if it is booked on October 11th or October 12th?
Probably, there are no contingencies for strike action and there are no qualified examiners which the DVSA can call on to cover striking examiners. With such an overwhelmingly majority calling to strike there will undoubtedly be a disruption to driving test services. However, if the DVSA decide to back down from their desire to make us work more hours for the same pay then the industrial action will not happen. We don't want disruption to happen, but we also don't want our terms of work to change to make us worse off, financially and mentally.
From https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/members-vote-overwhelmingly-strike-action-dvsa
I fully support you and other driving examiners. No one wants this, but it needs to be done to get the DVSA to listen. How they can expect people to work more hours for the same pay is beyond me. If my employer did this to me, I would be doing the same.
Hopefully it all works out for you in the end and the strike doesn't need to go ahead. As people are driving examiners because they like what they do, they shouldn't need to be made to feel it is a chore and cause more stress.
Original post by cnwenciw
Disgusting. No regard whatsoever for the the thousands of people who have to wait 6 months+ for a test.
I'm pretty sure they took that into account considering one of the complaints was an inability to provide quality tests with the proposed timing changes.
Do you really expect them to do more work for less pay in a time of huge inflation?
The date has been changed to October 18th & 19th.
Ok, go and tell your manager you're willing to work an hour more each day for less pay. Then get rear ended twice a year, verbally abused every week, answer the phone in every free second, skip lunch because you get stuck in traffic, fill in legal documents and perform eyesight tests in your unpaid coffee break.
Oh and we need to improve the standard of service and road safety, with less time on test.
Little wonder I'm looking for other work.
Original post by cnwenciw
Disgusting. No regard whatsoever for the the thousands of people who have to wait 6 months+ for a test.
Ok, go and tell your manager you're willing to work an hour more each day for less pay. Then get rear ended twice a year, verbally abused every week, answer the phone in every free second, skip lunch because you get stuck in traffic, fill in legal documents and perform eyesight tests in your unpaid coffee break.
Oh and we need to improve the standard of service and road safety, with less time on test.
Little wonder I'm looking for other work.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by StriderHort
I'm pretty sure they took that into account considering one of the complaints was an inability to provide quality tests with the proposed timing changes.
Do you really expect them to do more work for less pay in a time of huge inflation?
Do you really expect them to do more work for less pay in a time of huge inflation?
I understand that but strikes are never the right way to do things. Generally they just turn more people against you.
Original post by Joshkav
I fully support you and other driving examiners. No one wants this, but it needs to be done to get the DVSA to listen. How they can expect people to work more hours for the same pay is beyond me. If my employer did this to me, I would be doing the same.
Hopefully it all works out for you in the end and the strike doesn't need to go ahead. As people are driving examiners because they like what they do, they shouldn't need to be made to feel it is a chore and cause more stress.
Hopefully it all works out for you in the end and the strike doesn't need to go ahead. As people are driving examiners because they like what they do, they shouldn't need to be made to feel it is a chore and cause more stress.
What exactly does 'work more hours for the same pay' mean?
Like are we talking they're paid a salary and they're being asked to work more hours for literally nothing more.
Or are we talking they're paid hourly and their hours are changing and they're actually getting paid for it?
If it's the former, okay, fair enough.
If it's the latter? Okay then... How many hours did they work vs what they're working now? Would it qualify as overtime (over 37.5/40 hours in most places) elsewhere? Thus legitimising the request for more money.
Original post by cnwenciw
I understand that but strikes are never the right way to do things. Generally they just turn more people against you.
Disagree. Strikes hit companies where it hurts and is usually a good way to get companies to bend over.
The problem is when it happens to public services... A warehouse going on strike isn't going to hurt the public nearly as much as tube drivers or driving examiners going on strike
It's like protests. Protesting, in itself, isn't going to turn people against you. It's when that protesting becomes illegal blockages of roads and motorways that the public turns against them.
Basically, if it doesn't hit the public much, or at all, it won't turn people against them.
In the case of driving examiners, I suspect the public will be mostly on their side because it only impacts a minority of people and it'll be those with their tests getting impacted who'll be the ones outraged the most.
Original post by TheMcSame
What exactly does 'work more hours for the same pay' mean?
Like are we talking they're paid a salary and they're being asked to work more hours for literally nothing more.
Or are we talking they're paid hourly and their hours are changing and they're actually getting paid for it?
If it's the former, okay, fair enough.
If it's the latter? Okay then... How many hours did they work vs what they're working now? Would it qualify as overtime (over 37.5/40 hours in most places) elsewhere? Thus legitimising the request for more money.
Disagree. Strikes hit companies where it hurts and is usually a good way to get companies to bend over.
The problem is when it happens to public services... A warehouse going on strike isn't going to hurt the public nearly as much as tube drivers or driving examiners going on strike
It's like protests. Protesting, in itself, isn't going to turn people against you. It's when that protesting becomes illegal blockages of roads and motorways that the public turns against them.
Basically, if it doesn't hit the public much, or at all, it won't turn people against them.
In the case of driving examiners, I suspect the public will be mostly on their side because it only impacts a minority of people and it'll be those with their tests getting impacted who'll be the ones outraged the most.
Like are we talking they're paid a salary and they're being asked to work more hours for literally nothing more.
Or are we talking they're paid hourly and their hours are changing and they're actually getting paid for it?
If it's the former, okay, fair enough.
If it's the latter? Okay then... How many hours did they work vs what they're working now? Would it qualify as overtime (over 37.5/40 hours in most places) elsewhere? Thus legitimising the request for more money.
Disagree. Strikes hit companies where it hurts and is usually a good way to get companies to bend over.
The problem is when it happens to public services... A warehouse going on strike isn't going to hurt the public nearly as much as tube drivers or driving examiners going on strike
It's like protests. Protesting, in itself, isn't going to turn people against you. It's when that protesting becomes illegal blockages of roads and motorways that the public turns against them.
Basically, if it doesn't hit the public much, or at all, it won't turn people against them.
In the case of driving examiners, I suspect the public will be mostly on their side because it only impacts a minority of people and it'll be those with their tests getting impacted who'll be the ones outraged the most.
Current working hours are 8:10-3:40, new working hours will be 8:00-4:00, we have a fixed salary of about £26,126, 0% pay rise this year with no adjustment for inflation.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by TheDE
Current working hours are 8:10-3:40, new working hours will be 8:00-4:00, we have a fixed salary of about £26,126, 0% pay rise this year with no adjustment for inflation.
So they've gone from 37.5 to 40 hour work weeks?
Only thing I can sympathise with is the lack of pay rise to account for inflation if that's the case then... An extra 30 minutes won't hurt them and no doubt the whole thing about working hours is stated somewhere in their employment contract.
Original post by StriderHort
I'm pretty sure they took that into account considering one of the complaints was an inability to provide quality tests with the proposed timing changes.
Do you really expect them to do more work for less pay in a time of huge inflation?
Do you really expect them to do more work for less pay in a time of huge inflation?
It is a bit more complex than that -
More work for less pay - yes, but the way the DVLA has put it is they are not asking them to work more than they are paid, they are asking them to work what they are already paid and they are no longer being paid to eat lunch. Very few people get paid to eat lunch so this argument immediately puts public opinion against them.
Inability to provide quality tests with proposed running changes - This is where there are contradictions, either it is safe to provide more tests or not - getting paid more won't change that. If it is a safety issue that should be the only consideration.
I support the driving examiners (although also hope they don't have another strike in November!), their lunch break is already compromised when tests run over, and they dont get paid enough for the flexibility required of them, but if they want to get sympathy from the public they should concentrate on the safety and timing issues and, depending on whether their contracts allow it, do a work to rule instead. That would be more disruptive and they still get paid!!
One of the issues we do face is that we have to do things in our lunch breaks anyway at the moment, any backed up paperwork or eyesight tests really have to be done then. What will end up happening across most test centres is tests on a Friday afternoon being cancelled go keep us within our contracted hours, if we have to work during lunch break or if not then after work.
The safety issue comes from exhaustion when completig an extra test, and the implications this could have individually on the test and accumulated throughout the week. A study was done about 10 years ago which reccomended to keep the limit at 7 tests, as it was shown that the safety of the 8th test was affected due to being overwhelmed and exhausted. The DVSA have decided that using ipads instead of paper now for our tests makes us less exhausted, I'm not sure why they think that as having a screen in front of yourself all day is a little harder on the eyes than a piece of paper.
The safety issue comes from exhaustion when completig an extra test, and the implications this could have individually on the test and accumulated throughout the week. A study was done about 10 years ago which reccomended to keep the limit at 7 tests, as it was shown that the safety of the 8th test was affected due to being overwhelmed and exhausted. The DVSA have decided that using ipads instead of paper now for our tests makes us less exhausted, I'm not sure why they think that as having a screen in front of yourself all day is a little harder on the eyes than a piece of paper.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by alf.
Seems so simple - there is demand and backlog so they need to open new temporary test centres and recruit new assessors.
Now is the time to retain the workforce, not lose them to stress leave or moving roles.
I wish you all the best and I hope the strike forces open negotiation.
Now is the time to retain the workforce, not lose them to stress leave or moving roles.
I wish you all the best and I hope the strike forces open negotiation.
Simple?
Not quite, from the top of my head - finding and adapting suitable premises would take months. Recruiting/training people with the required aptitude and attitude to become new examiners for a temporary job just to clear the back log knowing they will be laid off eventually when demand returns to normal is not an easy task. Then take into account this has to be done nationally for the hundreds of test centers in the UK that have backlogs. That is even before thinking where does the money for all this come from? Then the already backlogged DVLA needs to be able to process even more theory tests and full license applications.....................is this strike definitely happening? what happens to those who have tests booked?
Original post by BlackLab
Simple? Not quite, from the top of my head - finding and adapting suitable premises would take months. Recruiting/training people with the required aptitude and attitude to become new examiners for a temporary job just to clear the back log knowing they will be laid off eventually when demand returns to normal is not an easy task. Then take into account this has to be done nationally for the hundreds of test centers in the UK that have backlogs. That is even before thinking where does the money for all this come from? Then the already backlogged DVLA needs to be able to process even more theory tests and full license applications.....................
Not quite, from the top of my head - finding and adapting suitable premises would take months. Recruiting/training people with the required aptitude and attitude to become new examiners for a temporary job just to clear the back log knowing they will be laid off eventually when demand returns to normal is not an easy task. Then take into account this has to be done nationally for the hundreds of test centers in the UK that have backlogs. That is even before thinking where does the money for all this come from? Then the already backlogged DVLA needs to be able to process even more theory tests and full license applications.....................The agency has more than enough money to hire more examiners, it is one of if not the most profitable of all government agencies.
There is a big recruitment drive happening right now, bringing examiners in on a fixed term 2 year contract to help the backlog.
Most test centres only operation at half to three quarters capacity so there is no need for additional test centres. Even if there was there are government continuity plans which include contracts to use appropriate buildings nearby, these plans exist for every test centre and can be called upon if there is a need for extra capacity or if the test centre is rendered unusuable. The one for my test centre is a sports centre. All they need is an office, toilets and a car park.
The DVLA and DVSA recieve funding independent from eachother as they are different departments.
Original post by Scdlinks
is this strike definitely happening? what happens to those who have tests booked?
If your test is cancelled you will receive a free retest.
Original post by TheDE
If your test is cancelled you will receive a free retest.
But when?
Original post by tony 333
What dates are the strike? Is It only 2 days? Are they back on 13th?
From PCS Union;
18 October to 19 October 2021 – two days’ national strike action – This includes everyone
28 October to 29 October – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Wales, South West and North West England – This includes members who work in these areas
4 November to 5 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Yorkshire & Humber, Scotland and Northern England
11 November to 12 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: London & South East England, Eastern England, East and West Midlands.
Original post by Scdlinks
But when?
As soon as they can
Original post by TheDE
From PCS Union;
18 October to 19 October 2021 – two days’ national strike action – This includes everyone
28 October to 29 October – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Wales, South West and North West England – This includes members who work in these areas
4 November to 5 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Yorkshire & Humber, Scotland and Northern England
11 November to 12 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: London & South East England, Eastern England, East and West Midlands.
18 October to 19 October 2021 – two days’ national strike action – This includes everyone
28 October to 29 October – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Wales, South West and North West England – This includes members who work in these areas
4 November to 5 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: Yorkshire & Humber, Scotland and Northern England
11 November to 12 November 2021 – two days’ regional strike action covering the following regions as defined by PCS: London & South East England, Eastern England, East and West Midlands.
Thanks
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