Revenue and Customs workers set to strike

Revenue and Customs workers have voted in favour of a strike in a dispute over job cuts and privatisation.

The Public and Commercial Services union, which has 55,000 members in the department including tax advisers and call centre staff, said 52.8% of 18,300 voters had backed a strike.

The PCS is opposing plans to cut 10,000 posts by 2014/15.

The union says it makes "no economic sense" to make cuts that will reduce effectiveness at collecting taxes.

"The government should be investing to improve services, tackle the tax dodgers and get our economy back on its feet," said PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka.

There was a 33.3% turnout for the vote, in which more than three-quarters of voters backed other forms of industrial action.

The union says it is also opposed to year-long trials using private companies to handle tax credit enquiries at two centres in Lillyhall, Cumbria, and Bathgate, West Lothian.

"At the same time as cutting jobs and closing offices, we have real concerns about creeping privatisation in HMRC, with public money being handed to companies to make a profit," said Mr Serwotka.