Jacob Rees-Mogg left sarcastic cards on empty Whitehall desks, then government mandated 60% civil service office attendance. That edict triggered strikes and disputes over hybrid working across departments including the Land Registry, Metropolitan police civilians and the Office for National Statistics. The ONS has faced leadership departures, morale declines and delayed retail sales figures for extra data quality assurance. PCS members voted to continue an 18-month dispute, with 68% for strike on 71% turnout. Staff largely maintained hybrid patterns and normal pay, while management enforces attendance; staff have adopted zero-attendance action, and the impact on performance remains uncertain.
Remember Jacob Rees-Mogg, Brexit opportunities and government efficiency minister, lurking round Whitehall offices to leave sarcastic printed cards on any empty desk: Sorry you were out when I visited. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon. With every good wish? The following year his government ordered the entire civil service to attend the office a minimum of 60% of the time.
Covid taught many lessons: one of the best was discovering that people can work flexibly, need not waste time and money commuting, and can take jobs far from home while employers recruit the best from anywhere. The ONS is in so much trouble, from top to toe, you might think they would hasten to resolve this morale-lowering dispute, which appears symptomatic of what went wrong with its recently departed leadership.
This week it hit yet more trouble, delaying crucial retail sales figures to carry out further data quality assurance. Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members have voted yet again to continue their 18-month-old dispute with the ONS: 68% voted for strike action on a 71% turnout. It's been an oddly quiet dispute: staff went on working their usual hybrid patterns, for their usual pay.
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