Civil servants hit the picket lines
WORKERS from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took to picket lines across Teesside today, marking the start of a two-day national strike which threatens to disrupt job centres, child support and pensions services.
Leaders from the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) decided to strike after 67.1% of workers in the Government’s biggest department voted to take industrial action in protest at a “derisory” three-year pay offer.
Striking civil servants outside James Cook House in Middlesbrough gathered from 6.30am, as more than 1,300 workers were expected to support the action on Teesside.
Paul Morris, branch chairman of the Tees Valley PCS led the picket line outside the Middlesbrough Jobcentre Plus office on Grange Road.
He said: “The reason we are here is that we have had a derisory pay deal imposed by the Government that is well below inflation.
“A lot of the staff who work in the job centre will get a rise of 2% this year, 0% next year and 1% in the third year.”
Some workers were handed leaflets explaining the need to strike as they crossed the picket line at about their normal start time of 8am.
Mr Morris said: “A lot of managers have gone in but out of the 600 people who work here, we are hopeful between 500 and 550 will join us, which will be an excellent turnout.”
About 12,000 people work for the DWP across the North-east - with 1,500 based on Teesside.
Fran Heathcoate, DWP group organiser for the North-east region said she expected a very strong turnout from workers across Teesside.
She said: “The PCS has a high membership across the North-east and within the DWP and the feedback I am getting is members are all up for this.”
The PCS union warned of “significant disruption” to services predicting office closures and problems for new benefit claimants as the stoppage is followed by a ban on overtime.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said staff were feeling “angry and demoralised” by the pay deal. “This is a dispute the Government could have avoided, but instead they have provoked staff into strike action by imposing poverty pay on a workforce already experiencing massive job cuts,” he said.
“It is completely unacceptable that some of the lowest paid in the Civil Service are receiving increases that take their pay to just 24 pence above the minimum wage and that staff who have stuck with the DWP through thick and thin are expected to receive nothing next year.”
A DWP spokesman said: “DWP will do everything necessary to minimise disruption to our customers and we are confident that our services and payments will be maintained.
“For those lower down the pay scales, during the next three years the minimum pay increase they will see is 3% a year. Many of the lowest paid at the bottom of the pay scale will be getting, on average, more than 5% a year.”
Civilian staff in the Metropolitan Police, have also voted to reject a 2.25% pay offer.
