Jobcentre staff to strike

Jobcentre and benefit office staff are to stage a 48-hour strike next month in a worsening dispute over pay, it was announced today.

The walkout, on April 13 and 14, could leave many offices closed for a week because the action will be held immediately after the Easter bank holiday.
The stoppage will involve tens of thousands of workers across Britain following the failure to break a deadlocked row over pay.

The Public and Commercial Services union said it had been left with no alternative other than to call a strike, but stressed it was willing to resume talks with the Department for Work and Pensions.

The union has accused the department of imposing a below inflation pay increase on to civil servants and of introducing a discriminatory performance appraisal system.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: "Unless DWP management take the offer of conciliation through Acas seriously and we get moving on a negotiated outcome we will be left with no choice but to call further strike action.

"We don't want the inevitable disruption that strikes have on the public, but members are increasingly frustrated by a management who are digging in and refusing to engage constructively with their union."

Union members went on strike for two days last month and have been working to rule for weeks.

The DWP maintained it had made a good pay offer and described last month's strike as "indefensible."

The union has been campaigning against low pay rates in the civil service and has been trying to persuade ministers to intervene in the Jobcentre dispute.