Office for National Statistics staff to vote on strikes in dispute over working from home

Office for National Statistics (ONS) staff are being balloted for strikes in a dispute over working from home.

Around 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) based in several offices, including in Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Darlington, will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.

The union said its members were being told to work from their office for two days a week, after previously being allowed to work from home since the start of the lockdown.

PCS officials said many staff work from their office several days a week anyway, with others accepting jobs at the ONS because they were promised the flexibility to work from home.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: "Post-pandemic arrangements at ONS have been an example of best practice in flexible and sustainable ways of working, so it's a mystery why managers have changed their minds, especially after having regularly reassured members they could remain working more flexibly.

"No evidence-based business case has been made for their rushed decision - a move that has caused anger among staff demoralised by the lack of trust and the need for rapid changes to their childcare and other arrangements."

A spokesperson for the ONS said: "The ONS has had a hybrid working model for some years now, in line with the wider Civil Service.

"Face-to-face interaction supports collaboration and fosters learning and innovation, while some tasks can be done as effectively or even more effectively at home.

"We are applying this flexibly to help balance business and personal needs, and have offered all colleagues extensive support."

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