Temp HMRC staff in Dundee working to deliver furlough payments across the UK should be given permanent jobs to honour their commitment, a union says.
Staff are currently working at home and at the UK government department’s city HQ Sidlaw House building but are facing large workloads processing Job Retention Scheme backlogs.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS Union) say many are putting themselves at risk by continuing to work.
Local PCS branch secretary David Lardner said: “Both temporary and permanent staff who are working from home are bending over backwards to do so.
“Those travelling to work are returning home and taking all their clothes off just inside the door, putting them in the washing machine, each evening, because they are terrified of taking Covid-19 in to their homes.
“Civil Servants who have had a real terms pay cut for the last 10 years are continuing to work to make sure this country runs.
“The least HMRC and the UK government can do is make them permanent employees.”
Sidlaw House will close in spring 2022 as part of efforts to amalgamate offices into 13 large regional centres.
An HMRC spokesperson said: “We thank all of our frontline teams of key workers who are doing a vital job to support the UK – protecting people’s livelihoods, keeping cash in businesses, helping people to stay employed, providing benefits for families and bringing in funds for essential services like the NHS.
“We constantly keep our staffing requirements under review.”
