WORKERS at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are to be asked if they would support more strikes in a long-running dispute over Covid-related safety.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at the agency’s offices in Swansea have been taking industrial action over safety measures.

The DVLA insists it has put measures in place to keep staff safe and has been following official guidance.

A consultative ballot of PCS members will open on Wednesday and close on September 3.

Members will be asked about their priorities for a deal to end the dispute and whether they would support further strikes and action short of a strike.

Another ballot would have to be held before further strikes could go ahead.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “DVLA senior management and the Department for Transport have underestimated the resolve of our members. They thought support for our strike would fade when in fact it is growing with new staff joining PCS.

“This dispute can be resolved if the original deal to end the strike is put back on the table.”

A DVLA spokesman said: “It’s disappointing to see the Public and Commercial Services union choosing to continue with industrial action and targeting services that will have the greatest negative impact on the public, affecting some of the more vulnerable people in society, including the printing and mailing of documents such as vaccine letters for the NHS.

“We have been negotiating in good faith and will continue to do so with the aim of finding a workable solution.

“The safety of our staff is paramount and since the beginning of the year we have implemented weekly Covid testing for everyone.

“Since the outbreak of the pandemic we have reorganised our eight buildings in line with official advice, and utilised space in a newly-leased building to further assist with social distancing measures.

“We have also installed thermal imaging cameras to carry out temperature checks on people entering the buildings.

“As these measures have been implemented, we have worked closely with Public Health Wales along with Swansea Environmental Health and the Health and Safety Executive, who have conducted regular site visits and inspections and have repeatedly confirmed a high level of compliance with control measures.

“Millions of people right across the UK are relying on essential DVLA services and PCS’s demands are causing significant and unnecessary disruption to families and businesses, all at a time when they are most needed.”