Dangerously overloaded trucks could escape detection this month as VOSA enforcement staff that are part of the PCS trade union strike over terms and conditions.
Some 700 VOSA employees, including traffic examiners, administrative and test booking staff, workers at VOSA's Bristol HQ and a number of VOSA drivers and officers with powers to stop, will take part in a two-day strike on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 March.
The strike is part of a wider dispute between the PCS union and the government over what it sees as a "fundamental attack" on employees' terms and conditions, which will reduce job security, it says.
Although not related to this dispute, VOSA staff are already dealing with considerable insecurity caused by the agency's plans regarding Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) and view the attack on terms on conditions as adding to that.
Gary Washer, secretary for the VOSA branch of the PCS, adds: "If we get the level of support we are hoping for, there will be a considerable amount of disruption.
"There won't be the same level of enforcement staff out there as usual, so the chances of [offences] being detected are significantly reduced."
Although pre-booked tests will still go ahead, Washer points out that it is PCS members who take the test bookings and input the test results onto VOSA's system. He forecasts a "significant backlog" of work following the two-day stoppage.
In addition, there will be a period of work-to-rule and an overtime ban after the strike.
A VOSA statement says: "Some staff may be taking part in national industrial action on 8 and 9 March. However, we are not expecting a great deal of disruption and will be continuing with business as usual.
"VOSA staff are represented by three unions and PCS is the only union involved in the forthcoming strike. Should members of staff choose to strike, we have a contingency plan in place and will backfill any positions as necessary."
VOSA's operations director Alex Fiddes says: "We will minimise any disruption for customers and ensure that safety standards and our enforcement operations are maintained.
"This is not an opportunity for non-compliant operators to feel that they can compromise road safety," he adds.
