Angela Rayner is facing embarrassment as more than 1,000 civil servants in her department will go on strike over the right to work from home.
Labour‘s deputy leader has been accused of failing her own staff despite pushing through a law that gives new powers to workers and trade unions.
She has even refused to meet employees in her Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), according to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which will walk out when Parliament returns from the summer recess.
More than 1,180 staff will strike on September 1 while 180 staff will down tools for the following three weeks and others will continue long-running industrial action short of a strike.
They are demanding that Ms Rayner – who was spotted sipping wine on the beach in Hove on Tuesday evening – drop the edict that civil servants spend at least three days a week at their desks.
Union reps want her to ‘protect a 40 per cent attendance requirement’ and ‘commit to default remote working for new staff who live with a disability’.
But despite taking industrial action over the right to work remotely, they are also calling on Ms Rayner to halt the planned closures of six regional offices and ‘consult with unions on recruitment policies to prevent deliberate de-staffing of offices’.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: ‘Office closures do nothing to serve the department’s goal of tackling regional inequalities.
Angela Rayner (pictured last month) is facing embarrassment as more than 1,000 civil servants in her department will go on strike over the right to work from home
Labour’s deputy leader (pictured last month) has been accused of failing her own staff despite pushing through a law that gives new powers to workers and trade unions
She has even refused to meet employees in her Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), according to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which will walk out when Parliament returns from the summer recess. Pictured: A PCS strike in 2023
‘Ministers will see staff speak with their feet when they return.
‘Senior management have been clear – they will not seek to resolve this dispute without ministerial direction.
‘Angela Rayner talks the talk regarding workers’ rights, she must now walk the walk and intervene to resolve this dispute.’
The row is regrettable for Ms Rayner as she is a former shop steward and is driving through Labour’s flagship Employment Rights Bill, which will make it easier for unions to stage walkouts.
She has already incurred the wrath of Unite for failing to resolve the long-running Birmingham bin strike, and last month was suspended as a member for ‘bringing the union into disrepute’.
It comes amid growing fears of an ‘autumn of discontent’ as public services are set to be crippled by a series of strikes.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is to stage a week of walkouts on the London Underground in September while nurses are expected to join junior doctors on strike later in the year.
An MHCLG spokesman said: ‘We have engaged extensively with unions and staff to resolve this dispute and do not believe the current action is an appropriate response to the issues raised.
‘We will continue to have an office in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles.’
By Policy Editor
China has refused Angela Rayner’s demands to reveal the full floor plan for its controversial mega-embassy in London.
In an extraordinary snub, consultants acting for Beijing dismissed a formal request by the Housing Secretary to say what was behind ‘greyed out’ sections of the building’s blueprint.
Planning consultancy DP9 insisted it had given enough detail about the ‘intended use of individual floors’ and it is not ‘necessary or appropriate’ to provide full layout plans.
A barrister for China said Ms Rayner already has ‘everything she needs’ to make the crucial decision on whether or not to grant planning permission for the proposed embassy in the former Royal Mint, near the Tower of London.
A barrister for China said Ms Rayner already has ‘everything she needs’ to make the crucial decision on whether or not to grant planning permission for the proposed embassy in the former Royal Mint (pictured), near the Tower of London
Last night, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Luke de Pulford said: ‘This is an insult to Angela Rayner and reflects Beijing’s extraordinary arrogance.
‘The Secretary of State merely asked for China to explain their redacted drawings. China has bluntly refused.
‘Surely we can only take so much of this contemptuous treatment? This disaster project must now be refused.’
Originally due to give her verdict by September 9, Ms Rayner will now, after China’s refusal, deliver it on October 21.
It also means her decision will not clash with the Business Secretary’s visit to Beijing to restart trade talks in mid-September.
