Civil servants will begin indefinite industrial action on Monday in protest against office closures and moves to make them work from the office.
Public sector workers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in offices, including in the capital, will take action short of a strike from Monday.
The members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said it was in protest against the closure of six offices, the imposition of “rigid” office attendance policies and the withdrawal of location-neutral recruitment.
The offices set to close are Birmingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Sheffield, Truro and Warrington.
PCS members working at the MHCLG offices went on strike in April and May over the issues.
The government said the changes were being brought in as leases expire, and offices across England, including Darlington, Wolverhampton and Bristol were being expanded.
The PCS has been involved in separate pay talks with the government, with the union negotiating an above-inflation projected pay increase for staff. Pay rises will be capped at 3.75%.
The PCS president, Martin Cavanagh, said: “From removing staff from an office before the lease expires to spuriously challenging lawful notices of industrial action, the employer seems intent to avoid proper consultation, disregard fair process and alienate its staff.
“Closing local offices while rigidly enforcing mandatory office attendance doesn’t make sense. The way out of this dispute is to negotiate, not frustrate.”
The shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Alex Burghart, criticised civil servants who wanted to work from home.
Burghart said: “It speaks volumes that some civil servants are walking out not over pay, but because they’re being asked to show up to work and make better use of public buildings.
“Most people can’t refuse to travel to their workplace, so why should Whitehall be any different?
“Labour should be clear whether they stand with the unions defending empty desks or with taxpayers who expect a civil service that works for them.”
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We have engaged with unions and staff about a number of proposals – including plans to expand four offices outside of London and close six offices over the next two years, as leases come to an end.
“The department will continue to have offices in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles.”