Civil servants vote on strike action

Friday, 4 February 2005 12:00 AM

More than a quarter of a million public servants will be balloted today on possible strike action over Government pension plans.

Ministers are keen to close the pensions gap and asking public servants to work longer is one of a number of proposals aimed at achieving this goal.

Under the new arrangements, the retirement age for civil servants would be 65 instead of 60. The plan would also see the end of the final salary pension scheme and a move to a career average scheme.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will ballot its members today and could co-ordinate any strike action with other unions.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka has described the plans as "unacceptable".

Speaking today, he said: "Faced with the prospect of people being denied real choices about retirement as the Government refuse to negotiate over forcing civil and public servants to work longer to receive their pension entitlement we will be balloting our members on industrial action."

Mr Serwotka added that many civil servants "are seeing their contracts with their future torn up in front of their eyes.

"With thousands of hardworking civil and public servants already facing the axe and increasing insecurity over their futures the Government's forced pension age rise comes as a double whammy. We urge the Government to engage in meaningful negotiation and think again about forcing people to work an extra five years and give people real choices about their futures."

The PCS ballot is expected to close on or around March 10.

With a general election possible just months away, the Government will be keen to avoid a long-running dispute.

However, the PCS has the support of other unions. Earlier this week, Dave Prentis, general secretary of UNISON, the largest public sector union, accused the Government of condemning public servants to "an early grave".

UNISON, TGWU and Amicus are also intending to ballot members on strike action.

While there has been no indication that the Government has any plans to back down, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is understood to have met with senior union officials to discuss the matter.

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