DVLA Adding To HGV Shortages

The critical shortage of HGV drivers is set to get worse, with union members set to vote on further strike action*at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency*(DVLA).

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) warned on Wednesday night that the possible industrial action "could not come at a worse time" and would aggravate*the driver shortage*that has led to*empty supermarket shelves*and a*fuel crisis.

The DVLA said any strike action would hold "millions of drivers to ransom". The Government agency is currently working through*a backlog of a reported 50,000 vocational driving licences*stretching back more than two months.

But the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at the DVLA's offices in Swansea will vote in the coming weeks on further industrial action over fears that 2,500 staff working in its offices are at risk of Covid.

DVLA staff working from home due to the pandemic – currently about 3,500 – are not allowed to handle driving licence applications or medical certificates needed to issue HGV licences.

I wouldn’t be surprised if DVLA gets relocated to another part of the country at some stage.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whisperer

I wouldn’t be surprised if DVLA gets relocated to another part of the country at some stage.

---

Dont know about being relocated to another part of the country, but
there are plans for digital licences in the next few years which I guess will see a reduction in overall staff numbers anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whisperer

I wouldn’t be surprised if DVLA gets relocated to another part of the country at some stage.

---

Sad;ly you are right If PCS Union General Secretary Mark Serwotka has it way and 6 thousand jobs will be lost , they have spent 4.1 million making the building safe with all sorts of screens etc they have had one recorded Covid death and 500 positives but not all caught in work

There is 56,000 HGV /Bus drivers applications and 1.4 million applications sitting on desks , only 40% of staff are going into work , sadly due to the nature of the work you cant work remotely as you have use secure database servers .

58 days of strike so far this year getting £40 per day strike pay they are backed by a number of Labour MP's let hope the jobs are not lost as that will really hurt those at the DVLA and all those support industries, perhaps Mark Drakeford could remind them of those job risks ,best they don't apply for Supermarket , Postman, Bus Driver , NHS jobs if they do become redundant as they gamely kept on working through the worst of this .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Blah, blah, blah.

---

I had no idea you were such an expert on the DVLA, the buildings the staff work in and the methods of working. Where does this knowledge originate, I wonder?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

I had no idea you were such an expert on the DVLA, the buildings the staff work in and the methods of working. Where does this knowledge originate, I wonder?

---

It's alright, he's only adding "balance".

It's not good enough, but there are a few public sector organisations who have struggled on service delivery on this. DVLA seem to be being used as a pawn between unions and the govt/public who need them. My Dad has a blue badge and has basically been off the road for two months due to some DVLA issue. There's a degree of tolerance about it due to Covid, but when it becomes a political battle, it's just frustrating. Get on with it.

In fairness, they are also caught between two competing messages on WFH.

Personally I think Drakeford is wrong to continue to specifically ask for WFH instead of allowing businesses and organisations to decide, and to put in safe working practices as in England.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Sad;ly you are right If PCS Union General Secretary Mark Serwotka has it way and 6 thousand jobs will be lost , they have spent 4.1 million making the building safe with all sorts of screens etc they have had one recorded Covid death and 500 positives but not all caught in work

There is 56,000 HGV /Bus drivers applications and 1.4 million applications sitting on desks , only 40% of staff are going into work , sadly due to the nature of the work you cant work remotely as you have use secure database servers .

58 days of strike so far this year getting £40 per day strike pay they are backed by a number of Labour MP's let hope the jobs are not lost as that will really hurt those at the DVLA and all those support industries, perhaps Mark Drakeford could remind them of those job risks ,best they don't apply for Supermarket , Postman, Bus Driver , NHS jobs if they do become redundant as they gamely kept on working through the worst of this .

---

If Union workers have voted to strike. Its a fair ballot then why shouldnt Labour MPs back them.?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

It's alright, he's only adding "balance".

---

I'm especially interested to hear details of these "secure database servers" which mean DVLA staff can't work remotely.....

LoM is obviously a man in the know, so I reckon he should share this knowledge with us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

Get on with it.

---

Yeah, just get on with it. Forget about putting yourself, your family, your loved ones and your colleagues at risk, forget dilapidated buildings and shitty working conditions, forget underfunding and poor pay, just get on with it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Yeah, just get on with it. Forget about putting yourself, your family, your loved ones and your colleagues at risk, forget dilapidated buildings and shitty working conditions, forget underfunding and poor pay, just get on with it.

---

Working conditions poor ?

Flexible hours working .
Up to 30 days Annual Leave Ex Bank Holidays
26 weeks of maternity or a share parents up to 50 weeks
Good pensions
Paid Special leave
Onsite child care and vouchers help
Onsite Gym
Free eyesight costs
Advance /help salary towards cycle purchases and transport costs
Staff discounts
long term employment
Salary 25 ish up can climb to 58k for managers in 6/7 grades
usual 5 day a week Mon to Fri very flexible industry to help with home life

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Yeah, just get on with it. Forget about putting yourself, your family, your loved ones and your colleagues at risk, forget dilapidated buildings and shitty working conditions, forget underfunding and poor pay, just get on with it.

---

I get fed up with ridiculous straw-man arguments like this. Clearly in saying "get on with it" it means "find a solution".

I acknowledged the DVLA is caught in a difficult place. Can't you show a degree of balance in your response? There is (according to some) a food shortage due to a lack of HGV drivers, and there is a massive backlog which does interrupt peoples lives a great deal. As mentioned, my disabled father is currently off the road awaiting clearance from the DVLA.

Also, everything you mention applies to pretty much every public sector job going, so the fact it's only affecting the DVLA shows that it is facing particular issues, but also that those issues may not be entirely related to the topics you raise.

So I repeat, with greater clarity...Get on with it (and find a solution)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Blah de blah de blah

---

Have you ever been to the DVLA's offices?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Working conditions poor ?

Flexible hours working .
Up to 30 days Annual Leave Ex Bank Holidays
26 weeks of maternity or a share parents up to 50 weeks
Good pensions
Paid Special leave
Onsite child care and vouchers help
Onsite Gym
Free eyesight costs
Advance /help salary towards cycle purchases and transport costs
Staff discounts
long term employment
Salary 25 ish up can climb to 58k for managers in 6/7 grades
usual 5 day a week Mon to Fri very flexible industry to help with home life

---

In the above, you seem to have omitted the conditions that are concerning the staff in this dispute.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

I get fed up with ridiculous straw-man arguments like this. Clearly in saying "get on with it" it means "find a solution".

---

If you meant 'find a solution', perhaps you should have said 'find a solution' as opposed to 'get on with it'.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Have you ever been to the DVLA's offices?

---

Yes many times, they are very old in their nature built 1969 I think ? Like a lot of government buildings they are tough to maintain and its not great , the worse I've seen and this is recent is the administration offices at the Heath . I've been in the Taxes Llanishen , ONS , Patent Office , Passports Newport, WAG Cathays . Merthyr WAG , Bay WAG.

Some are very ageing indeed .

Not been in the DVLA since the recent 4.1 million expenditure to provide a safer working environment , 4.1 million must have delivered some improvements .

There are very secured serves at DVLA and GDPR / data protection is very high which you would struggle to do all of it at home , as you may no , isn't that your world Government ??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

sadly due to the nature of the work you cant work remotely as you have use secure database servers.

---

This claim really interests me. Would you care to provide some details?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

There are very secured serves at DVLA and GDPR / data protection is very high which you would struggle to do all of it at home , as you may no , isn't that your world Government ??

---

It is and you're talking utter bollocks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

If you meant 'find a solution', perhaps you should have said 'find a solution' as opposed to 'get on with it'.

---

And perhaps you shouldn't jump to daft conclusions. A resolution to any industrial dispute is in everyone's interests

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

And perhaps you shouldn't jump to daft conclusions. A resolution to any industrial dispute is in everyone's interests

---

To be fair, the phrase 'get on with it' was ambiguous.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

To be fair, the phrase 'get on with it' was ambiguous.

---

Yes, I acknowledge that..but the response to ambiguity isn't to accuse someone of not caring about "yourself, your family, your loved ones and your colleagues at risk, forget dilapidated buildings and shitty working conditions, forget underfunding and poor pay"

That's just classic strawman stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

Yes, I acknowledge that..but the response to ambiguity isn't to accuse someone of not caring about "yourself, your family, your loved ones and your colleagues at risk, forget dilapidated buildings and shitty working conditions, forget underfunding and poor pay"

That's just classic strawman stuff.

---

Some posters are more combative and aggressive than others, of course.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Working conditions poor ?

Flexible hours working .
Up to 30 days Annual Leave Ex Bank Holidays
26 weeks of maternity or a share parents up to 50 weeks
Good pensions
Paid Special leave
Onsite child care and vouchers help
Onsite Gym
Free eyesight costs
Advance /help salary towards cycle purchases and transport costs
Staff discounts
long term employment
Salary 25 ish up can climb to 58k for managers in 6/7 grades
usual 5 day a week Mon to Fri very flexible industry to help with home life

---

Those aren't working conditions, they are benefits, possibly designed to make up for the poor working conditions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Working conditions poor ?

Flexible hours working .
Up to 30 days Annual Leave Ex Bank Holidays
26 weeks of maternity or a share parents up to 50 weeks
Good pensions
Paid Special leave
Onsite child care and vouchers help
Onsite Gym
Free eyesight costs
Advance /help salary towards cycle purchases and transport costs
Staff discounts
long term employment
Salary 25 ish up can climb to 58k for managers in 6/7 grades
usual 5 day a week Mon to Fri very flexible industry to help with home life

---

What do you call “a good pension”. My mate worked for the CS for 44 years, how much do you think his pension is for working all those years?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

This claim really interests me. Would you care to provide some details?

---

Personal data on thousands of PC in homes , that may not be secure really , yes you allow gate ways in but I'm guessing we are talking serous money, unless you have the answer and care to share ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ninian opinian

What do you call “a good pension”. My mate worked for the CS for 44 years, how much do you think his pension is for working all those years?

---

I will be better than a lot of people in the private sector I read that 87% of public sector employees are currently paying into a salary-linked pension schemes , compared with 12% of private sector employees which deliver a better contributions I'm not saying they are wonderful , just better than a lot of folk out there

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

I will be better than a lot of people in the private sector I read that 87% of public sector employees are currently paying into a salary-linked pension schemes , compared with 12% of private sector employees which deliver a better contributions I'm not saying they are wonderful , just better than a lot of folk out there

---

Yes and for a so called better pension, CS’s have to put up with crap pay. So how much is a good pension and how much do you think my mates is for working 44 years?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ninian opinian

Yes and for a so called better pension, CS’s have to put up with crap pay. So how much is a good pension and how much do you think my mates is for working 44 years?

---

Oh and if it’s so great working for the CS why don’t you do it???

Serwotka is a Bluebird - i met him on the train heading back to London Bridge from the Den:ayatollah: think it might have been the night Nicky Maynard got injured.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Personal data on thousands of PC in homes , that may not be secure really , yes you allow gate ways in but I'm guessing we are talking serous money, unless you have the answer and care to share ?

---

The answer is you're talking shite.

Do you honestly believe that the hundreds of thousands of civil servants who have been working on a myriad of government databases remotely during the pandemic haven't had any access to personal data?

You boldly claimed "you cant work remotely as you have to use secure database servers due to the nature of the work." If that were true, barely anybody would be able to work from home in any industry, let alone in the civil service.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by life on mars

Personal data on thousands of PC in homes , that may not be secure really , yes you allow gate ways in but I'm guessing we are talking serous money, unless you have the answer and care to share ?

---

I work for part of the Home Office and we are all working from home with access to individual data of hundreds of thousands including PND.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

The answer is you're talking shite.

Do you honestly believe that the hundreds of thousands of civil servants who have been working on a myriad of government databases remotely during the pandemic haven't had any access to personal data?

You boldly claimed "you cant work remotely as you have to use secure database servers due to the nature of the work." If that were true, barely anybody would be able to work from home in any industry, let alone in the civil service.

---

Wait until he hears that HMRC staff have been WFH.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ninian opinian

Wait until he hears that HMRC staff have been WFH.

---

Hello from my front room🙂

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Harry Paget Flashman

I work for part of the Home Office and we are all working from home with access to individual data of hundreds of thousands including PND.

---

The same goes for the MOD Agency I just finished working for.

Someone mentioned following the advices of individual businesses on WFH rather than Mark Drakeford; no thank you!!! Does anyone really believe many businesses would favour employee health over profit? I'll stick with my friend Mark if it's all the same.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dorcus

Someone mentioned following the advices of individual businesses on WFH rather than Mark Drakeford; no thank you!!! Does anyone really believe many businesses would favour employee health over profit? I'll stick with my friend Mark if it's all the same.

---

Most private sector businesses seem to be back in reasonable numbers now. It's the public sector, (particularly in Wales, presumably) that is still working largely from home, with questionable results, but that is a huge topic perhaps for discussion elsewhere.

I certainly think it's unnecessary for Drakeford to offer a route into nightclubs, but still ask people to work from home.

If it's safe enough for hundreds of people to gather in a pub, it should be safe enough for people to have face to face meetings in offices and it doesn't need the First Minister to intervene at that level, IMO.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

Most private sector businesses seem to be back in reasonable numbers now.

---

Seem to be. In reasonable numbers.

This is all very woolly. Where are you getting your information from?

This thread just reads like the tory boys on here are desperate for someone to take part of the blame for the ongoing CF with regards to hgv drivers, and they don't want it to be the Tories or Brexit, so now we are blaming unions and mark Drakeford

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JamesWales

Most private sector businesses seem to be back in reasonable numbers now. It's the public sector, (particularly in Wales, presumably) that is still working largely from home, with questionable results, but that is a huge topic perhaps for discussion elsewhere.

I certainly think it's unnecessary for Drakeford to offer a route into nightclubs, but still ask people to work from home.

If it's safe enough for hundreds of people to gather in a pub, it should be safe enough for people to have face to face meetings in offices and it doesn't need the First Minister to intervene at that level, IMO.

---

not very easy to nightclub from home is it?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Seem to be. In reasonable numbers.

This is all very woolly. Where are you getting your information from?

---

Speaking to people, friends, colleagues, co-workers, clients and obviously working myself.

I'm not the National Statistics Office (although I will quote them when necessary).