PCS: Wick wins work after 'model campaign' proves successful

Thursday, 21 July 2011 9:41 AM

A "model campaign" to prevent the closure of a tax office in a small town in the north of Scotland has successfully won a reprieve, the Public and Commercial Services union announces.

The union-led Wick Wants Work campaign, launched seven months ago to stop the planned closure of the office next year, has won support from members of the public, politicians from all parties and other trade unions, notably the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

As a result HM Revenue and Customs senior management has announced the office, which employs just 20 staff but covers a geographical area the size of Belgium, will stay open until 2014.

The town offers no other redeployment opportunities and the union has pledged to continue to fight to keep the office open permanently.

Like others across the UK, tax compliance staff in Wick work to help tackle the estimated £120 billion in taxes that are evaded, avoided or uncollected every year.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "This has been a model campaign from the start, uniting unions, politicians and the community around the positive message that what our economy needs is more work, not less.

"While we will continue to fight to ensure the threat of closure is withdrawn completely, we pay tribute to everyone involved in establishing the important principle that united communities can make a difference."

ENDS

Notes

- For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216

- The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has around 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, and in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK's sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich - on Twitter @janicegodrich

- Follow PCS on Twitter @pcs_union

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