The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has confirmed that 1,180 of its members at the MHCLG will strike on 1 September.
It comes after plans were announced to close offices in Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington.
A spokesperson for MHCLG said: “We have engaged and continue to engage extensively with unions and staff to resolve this dispute and do not believe the current action is an appropriate response to the issues raised.”
The latest strikes comes more than four months after union members at the MHCLG previously walked out.
The MNCLG spokesperson added: “We will continue to have an office in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles.
“The approach to office attendance is replicated across the Civil Service and has not changed since early 2024.”
The strike on 1 September will be followed by “targeted action” which will see more than 170 staff walk out for four weeks, from 2 to 25 September.
The PCS said all members will also continue to take part in action short of a strike.
The PCS added that its reps at MHCLG are seeking:
+ alternatives from the department to retain a presence in the locations due to close (in Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington) while also guaranteeing that those in offices that have closed suffer no net loss of income or time ahead of these alternatives being developed
+ a new recruitment policy to prevent deliberate de-staffing of offices and arbitrary differential treatment
+ changes to office attendance policies to give staff enforceable rights, to improve flexibility for staff, including parents, carers or those experiencing financial hardship, and commit to default remote working for staff who need and request it, such as those living with a disability
+ guarantees that no member of staff can be disciplined or suffer detriment on the grounds of office attendance, provided they attend an office for at least 40% of their working days (proportionately reduced for those with exceptions or contractual variations).
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Office closures do nothing to serve the department’s goal of tackling regional inequalities. Ministers will see staff speak with their feet when they return from recess. Senior management have been clear: they will not seek to resolve this dispute without ministerial direction. Angela Rayner talks the talk regarding workers’ rights; she must now walk the walk and intervene to resolve this dispute.”
