PCS holds talks over work de-skilling

Industrial action provoked by the de-skilling of work at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), under the so-called LEAN working system, was suspended until 19 September by the PCS civil service union to allow meaningful talks to take place. The union acknowledged that “no agreement is going to mean the end of LEAN” but a sufficiently robust agreement would allow union members to “tame” it.

The talks with HMRC focused on the current status and roll-out of the LEAN system; team working and performance monitoring; a reassessment of the system on the original sites in which it was implemented (Cardiff, the Lothians and Portsmouth); union input and details of the employer’s independent evaluation of the system; and “consideration of the appropriateness of individual targets”.

Other key negotiating aims already identified by the union indicate the broad range of concerns that LEAN has given rise to: no individual targets or individual monitoring; access to full training; a proper mix of work commensurate to grade, and no out-of-grade working; defence of flexi working and annual leave; and access to regular display screen breaks. (see Labour Research December 2006.)

As Labour Research went to press the group executive committee was scheduled to meet to decide whether to vote on a proposed agreement or reinstate industrial action.

The PCS warned that, if it is necessary to recommence action, they will be “significantly stepping up activities and publicity”.