Union Prospect has confirmed it is once again contemplating industrial action over the new contracts the DVSA is seeking to get its vehicle testing staff to sign in order to accommodate its move to the Next Generation Testing (NGT) model at authorised testing facilities (ATFs).

Prospect negotiations officer Helen Stevens told Motortransport.co.uk last week its long-running negotiations with the DVSA over the new NGT contracts had broken down as the DVSA continued to ask staff to provide more flexibility in their hours for worse terms and conditions than before.

“It’s bread-and-butter terms and conditions stuff,” she commented. If the employer is asking for flexibility with worse terms and conditions, they’re not likely to reach agreement.

“We are contemplating industrial action,” she added.

Asked if it was still in negotiation with the DVSA over the contracts, she said it was “not clear”: “I thought we were, but DVSA took some action yesterday that makes me uncertain.”

Stevens declined to say more but Stephen Smith, president of the ATF Operators Association, said he had spoken to some DVSA test staff recently who were refusing to sign the new NGT contract as it appeared to jeopardise overtime payments worth £4,000-£5,000 a year and the London weighting in their salary - worth a further £4,000-£6,000 a year.

“DVSA says NGT has delivered flexibility but what the testers are doing is giving up their time and not being given any compensation for that,” he said. “These are huge pay cuts - it’s nearly a third of their income for some of them.”

Smith said he was “very concerned” about the potential effect of industrial action on ATFs’ business and extremely frustrated that the DVSA had not kept his association informed about the situation.

“It’s hugely frustrating and worrying because obviously we’ve got a business to run on the back of it,” he said. “We’re angry and frustrated that they’re not talking to us.”

The DVSA has not so far provided any comment.

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