Driving examiners walk out for five days today over escalating disagreements over pay, jobs and pensions.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) in 71 test centres in eastern England and the Midlands will be taking industrial action which is set to continue until January 16.
The action will affect those taking car, motorbike, lorry, bus, coach, minibus or tractor tests but will not affect those taking theory tests.
Rebooking tests
DVSA will automatically rebook driving tests that cannot go ahead because of the strike action.
Those people will be sent the new details within five to 10 working days and will not need to contact DVSA.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members have been offered a pay rise of just 2% at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is above 10%. We know our action will cause widespread disruption and inconvenience to people in eastern England and the Midlands – hundreds of driving tests have been cancelled already in other parts of the country – but the government is to blame. These strikes could be called off tomorrow if Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt put some money on the table.”
A government spokesperson said: “We greatly value the work of civil servants across the country, but the PCS Union’s demands would cost an unaffordable £2.4 billion at a time when our focus must be on bringing down inflation to ease the pressure on households across the country, protect the vulnerable and rebuild our economy.
“Discussions will continue, but we can provide reassurance that we have comprehensive plans in place to keep essential services running and to minimise disruption if these PCS strikes do go ahead.”
2022 has been one of the most disruptive years for travel, delayed deliveries and medical upheaval in the UK with rail, postal and nurses unions all embroiled in disputes.
