Union says decisions made by managers at the DVLA driving licence body have meant a “catastrophic” processing backlog of 1.4 million cases.
Mark Serwotka, head of the Public and Commercial Services union, said if staff were allowed to work from home the backlog could be reduced.
He told Transport Committee MPs other members of the civil service “were tearing their hair out” at the DVLA.
He said it is a “stain” on the reputation of the civil service.
Mr Serwotka said the DVLA are “refusing to engage in a proper discussion. In 21 years [in this role], I have never encountered the level of incompetence and mismanagement that is on display at the DVLA in Swansea,” Mr Serwotka told the MPs on Wednesday.
“The tragedy of that is not just that public are suffering. Our members, many of whom are quite lowly paid and very stressed at work, are bearing the brunt of this.”
Mr Serwotka said there had been 643 Covid cases and one fatality at the DVLA during the course of the pandemic and that there are serious risks to staff health and safety because of its actions.
