Pay protest strike hits 5,000 driving tests (From Daily Echo)

Pay protest strike hits 5,000 driving tests

3:15pm Saturday 1st March 2008 in News

THOUSANDS of driving tests were cancelled because of a 24-hour strike by Transport Department staff in a row over pay, according to union leaders.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said 5,000 tests were called off after "strong support" by up to 8,500 workers complaining about a series of below-inflation wage offers and widening gaps between the pay of men and women in different departments.

The union said Freedom of Information requests revealed that the DVLA's predominately female workforce was being underpaid to the tune of £17.5m a year, compared to colleagues on the same grades elsewhere in the Department for Transport.

The PCS said pay gaps of £2,524 existed between DVLA and the Department for Transport, which has prompted the union to call for an equal pay review under the 2006 Equalities Act.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "It is staggering that the government can allow a predominantly female workforce to be short changed by £17.5m.

"As the strike shows, civil and public servants are not prepared to sit back and allow a culture of low pay and pay inequality flourish. The government needs to address low pay by paying a fair wage in line with inflation and get rid of inequality across the civil service."

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "Pay decisions are taken by each agency and the central department in line with the public sector pay policy. We are committed to fair treatment of all employees."