Passport Office strike: Peterborough workers say 'they can't cope with cost of living crisis' as union calls for pay rise

A picket line was set up outside Peterborough Passport Office this morning (Monday) as part of the first day of a planned five week national strike by workers.

Members of the PCS Union held banners and waved flags outside the building at Fletton Quays this morning.

However, the action did not deter people from queueing up outside the office.

Malcolm Speechley, chair of the passport branch of the PCS, said there had been plenty of support for the picket line. He said: “We are at the start of a five week strike in order to get ourselves a decent pay rise. We have had pay freezes and pay cuts for the past 13 years, and people are not able to cope now, and not able to pay their bills. “People are using food banks, people are on in work benefits, and are just not able to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living crisis. This is ou rlast resort. We have tried talking to the Government, but no joy.”

Mr Speechley said ‘the strike could end tomorrow’ if the Government sat down to negotiate with the union.

He said motorists had been supportive of the picket line, saying: “We've had lots of people in cars hooting their support, there is a lot of public support. While a lot of people are inconvenienced by this, I think they do understand where we are coming from and they are sympathetic to us.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience but it is the Government who are at fault, we are trying to negotiate with the Government and get a resolution to this.”

Picket lines were also set up at passport offices in Glasgow, Durham, Liverpool, Southport, London, Newport and Belfast. More than a quarter of Passport Office workers were expected to take part in the strike.

The strike action from PCS also affects National Highways, British Library, British Museum, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, DVSA and Government Digital Service workers.