DSTL strikes: Members of government agency in Portsmouth take part in national industrial action

Members of Prospect union working at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) in Portsdown have walked out in a bid to secure more pay, which will help retain more graduates in the industry.

The strike took place today, March 15, between 7am and 10am, as staff fight for more pay after losing approximately 26 percent in the past 13 years.

The industrial action has taken place due to the lack of pay or pay rises, job losses and current terms relating to redundancy, and as well as the strike today, staff will take continuous action by working to rule and introducing a ban on working overtime.

DSTL is an important employer within the city and staff work closely with the armed forces to produce specialist technology and science for the Ministry of Defence.

Staff also provide advice, analysis and assurance on defence procurement and they do risk analysis of future threats as well as developing technology to protect troops in the armed forces.

James, who was at the picket line and works for DSTL, said: ‘We are striking because of three main issues, the first one is pay. A lot of people are striking over pay, our pay has been lagging behind and that is impacting us because we are having difficulty retaining staff and given that we design technology and science for our troops we need staff.

‘All of the ships that you see in the dockyard, DSTL would have had an involvement in it.

‘DSTL are not here to make money, we are civil servants, we want to do what is best for the country and the government and for our troops and if we can’t retain people it will have a real impact in the future.’

There are a number of DSTL sites including Portsdown West, Porton Down, Alverstoke and Newcastle.

Ian, who works at Portsdown DSTL, said: ‘I have worked here for nearly 30 years but we just can’t get the graduates and keep them. It is horrendous, we just can’t do the work because we don’t have the people.’

SEE ALSO: Members of government agency Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Portsdown take strike action today

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, said: ‘Our members in DSTL and the rest of the public sector have seen their incomes decline by up to 26 per cent over the past 13 years and their work taken for granted – they have had enough.

‘We will continue our campaign until the government comes up with a meaningful offer. If it doesn’t do so soon, we may be left with no Civil Service to protect.’

This is the largest industrial action that Prospect has taken in more than a decade and the union represents tens of thousands of specialist, technical, professional, managerial and scientific staff in the Civil Service.

Nick, who was also on strike, has been on strike to try and encourage more people to join the industry to prevent them ‘losing the brilliant minds that are working on tomorrows problems to keep our country safe’.

Nick said: ‘We are thinking about the security risks in the future and trying to protect the country.

‘Everyone at DSTL understands and I feel very supported by my line managers about being able to come out here and go on strike.’