CIVIL servants in Brierley Hill have begun industrial action as part of a national dispute over sickness policy.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union staged a series of walkouts, lasting up to two hours, at HMRC offices at the Waterfront in protest at plans to reduce the time off allowed for staff to recover from illness.

The walkouts, which took place yesterday and today (Wednesday), are the first actions in the dispute where around 350 workers at Merry Hill will also be working to rule, refusing to do overtime and refusing to use their own transport for business purposes.

Nigel Bayton, PCS branch secretary at West Midlands Revenue and Customs, said: “Our members are determined to show they are not prepared to have their health and wellbeing put at risk by accepting punitive action being taken against them for being unfortunate to be sick.”

Unions say HMRC’s new policies mean managers will consider action against staff who take more than five days or three periods of sickness over a twelve month period.

Mr Bayton added: “Our members had already been balloted and, in one of the biggest responses ever known, overwhelmingly supported strike action should the department refuse to address our concerns.”