PCS: Civil servants pay strike causes widespread disruption

Thursday, 24 April 2008 12:00 AM

There was widespread disruption across ten government departments and agencies today as members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) took part in a one day strike over a series of below inflation pay offers resulting from the government's policy to cap public sector pay to below inflation.

The strike, on the same day as teachers and lecturers walked out over pay, hit driving tests, coastguard stations, immigration centres, jobcentres, benefit offices and pension contact centres. Reports from around the country include:

* The closure of half of the UK's 19 coastguard control centres.
* The closure of a number of jobcentres and benefit offices with a large number of those remaining open offering little or no service, resulting in the cancellation of jobseeker interviews.
* The cancellation of approximately 4,000 driving tests.
* People trying to get through on the phone to Pension Service and Jobcentre Plus contact centres being told to call back another time by a recorded message.
* The closure of immigration reporting centres in London and Liverpool leading to the cancellation of asylum interviews.

Staff are furious over a series of below inflation pay offers resulting from the government's insistence to drive down pay which is seeing cost of living increases averaging 2% or less across those departments and agencies on strike. In the Department for Work and Pensions 40% of the workforce will receive 0% this year.

Pay in the civil service is among the lowest in the public sector with starting salaries just above the minimum wage and with a quarter of staff earning less than £16,000.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: "The breadth and depth of the support for today's strike has been fantastic as some of the lowest paid in the public sector take a stand over pay cuts and pay freezes. Those on strike know, as do the independent experts, that it is not their wages that are fuelling inflation, but the ever rising energy, food and mortgage costs. It is disgraceful that the government should hide behind such a discredited argument to force down the wages of hard working civil and public servants, some of whom are on the minimum wage. The government have got to start viewing its own workforce as the victims of inflation and not the causes by reviewing its pay policy and paying them a fair wage."

ENDS

Notes to editors

* For further information, interviews and comment please contact Alex Flynn PCS national press officer on 0207 801 2747 or 07833 978216.

* PCS, the Public and Commercial Services Union is the union representing civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 315,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies. It also represents workers in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK's sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president Janice Godrich.

Alex Flynn
National Press Officer
Public and Commercial Services Union
160 Falcon Rd
London SW11 2LN

Direct line: 020 7801 2747
Mobile: 07833 978 216
Fax: 020 7924 1847

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