Passport strike backlog 'hits 150,000'

Published on Saturday 26 July 2008 20:05

A BACKLOG of up to 150,000 passport applications has built up during a three-day strike by workers, unions claim.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said the effects of the walk-out over pay and office closures would take "well into August" to clear.

PCS members at the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) would now embark on work to rule action, the union said.

Staff were angered by a restructuring and a pay offer which would lead to the longest serving passport staff receiving no pay rise at all for the fifth year in a row.

As the protest drew to a close on Friday night, a PCS spokesman said: "The union estimates that the strongly supported strike could result in a backlog of as many as 150,000 passport applications."

The union claimed more than 2,000 passport staff left their posts in the strike, but the IPS put the number of absent staff at about 1,000, and said all premises remained open apart from one interview office.