OUTSOURCED HMRC workers are set to strike for 22 days after rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay offer from Fujitsu Services UK.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said its members will walk out from March 21 to April 23 after their in-house colleagues received a 5 per cent rise for the same work.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “This is a classic example of all that’s wrong with outsourcing – colleagues working side by side being paid different rates for doing similar jobs.

“Fujitsu continues to report large profits from the HMRC account but never offers staff anything close to inflation, devaluing our members’ salaries over many years, despite their skills and knowledge being vital in ensuring HMRC’s tax systems remain working.

“The government should keep its pre-election pledge to bring about the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation and ensure all workers receive fair and equal pay.”

A Fujitsu spokesperson said: “We are disappointed by PCS’s decision to proceed with industrial action following extensive negotiations around pay.

“We have worked with our clients to ensure all services are maintained.”