UK NEWS

WORK AND PENSIONS STAFF TO STRIKE

Monday March 10,2008

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(7)

Workers in the Government's biggest department are to stage a two day strike in a bitter row over pay.

Up to 80,000 staff at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will walk out next Monday and Tuesday, threatening disruption to jobcentres, benefit offices, pension centres and the Child Support Agency.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said the walkout, following a strike in December, was part of a long-running dispute over the imposition of a three year pay deal, which officials said will leave 40% of staff receiving no wage rise this year.

The union will lobby MPs in Westminster calling on the Government to review its 2% pay cap in the public sector, arguing that civil servants deserved a rise of 6% to make up for recent below-inflation deals.

PCS members have been involved in industrial action over pay in recent weeks at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Transport Department.

General secretary Mark Serwotka, said: "The budget is an ideal opportunity for the Government to address its policy which is driving down pay across the civil service.

"The 2% pay cap is hitting some of the lowest paid in the public sector who are seeing their pay cut in real terms as a result. It is scandalous that people working in areas such as jobcentres and benefits should be expected to stomach a 0% increase this year.

"The outbreak of industrial action in the civil service and next week's two day stoppage in the DWP illustrates the depth of anger being generated by the Government's pay cap.

"With a quarter of the civil service earning less than £15,500 and starting salaries as low as the minimum wage, the government have got to recognise that civil and public servants are not the causes of inflation but the victims of inflation.

"The Government can longer preside over a culture of low pay and need to review the 2% pay cap and pay a fair living wage to the people who deliver vital public services."

THIS IS JUST THE BIGINING

11.03.08, 6:50pm

There will be strikes all summer. Especially if the weather is nice. Pickets lines tend to be better manned on sunny days.

• Posted by: NathanHobbs • Report Comment

STILL WOULDNT PAY EM IN WASHERS

11.03.08, 5:00pm

Again well said Russell42

It's like a breath of fresh air to read that others are making such factual comments; just maybe people are finally beginning to notice the real Scroungers from the state.

Whilst the UK welfare system was implemented with great intentions, it's been allowed to be abused by those who were suppose to protect it. If DWP staff done the job for which they are generously paid, then the system would not be abused in such ways.

But then again, I can quote loads of examples of how Civil Servants are not only surplus to requirements, but also how the Civil Servants actually abuse there positions of trust.

It's Scandalous and Shameful to say the very least.

No justification whatsoever

• Posted by: byteback • Report Comment

STILL WOULDNT PAY EM IN WASHERS

11.03.08, 3:12pm

Jonocynic9, For your information i took my first job at 12 doing a milk round starting at 5:00am, I now work aprox 70 hours a week running my own business, and what do I get from it Taxed to death to fund a mis managed ecconomy, that employs useless individuals, who constantly get things wrong who loose data discs, who give away our personal information like there is no such thing as identity fraud, and then try and screw us all constantly. The CSA is typical of the Stalin like way the government has continually ripped us off, despite their protestations when the tories bought it in they have done nothing. The civil service are nothing more than vassels of this government implementing their mis guided and woeful policies, so please dont expect any sympathy from me.The cost of the CSA vastly out weighs the money it collects, why because by the govenmrnts own admission it is not fit for purpose, so why should they get a rise. And quite simply put if you dont like being a civil servant then all i can suggest is that you get a proper job, if you are good enough.

• Posted by: Russell42 • Report Comment

PAY THEM IN WASHERS!

11.03.08, 2:38pm

jonocynic9, if only we the hard working tax payers were given the correct information.

Civil Servants are the real Scroungers from the state, not only with extortionate salaries, but also sheer incompetence.

The UK has never suffered such an army of civil servants whom on the most part are not required at all, well apart from continually creating positions that are not required at all. Of course not to mention the extortionate salaries and pensions such people receive.

I would like to see an end to this; more so, I hope that along with the welfare reforms, we at least see a massive reduction in staff.

That would at least be a token to getting rid of such wastage.

This really angers me, more so when I read comments highlighting those abusing the system and being allowed to do so.

• Posted by: surfhogster • Report Comment

PAY THEM IN WASHERS!

11.03.08, 1:41pm

Yeah, yeah yeah, I hear it all the time, the same soporific, vapid digs at public sector workers. If you two could do so much better then maybe you should become civil servants and show us how it's all done. Only problem is that you wouldn't want to do a weeks work for a pittance. The problems stem from poor management and lack of manpower to complete everything that is expected of the lower echelons of the public sector.
Any single parent civil servants in rented accommodation would be better off on benefits. By the time your rent and council tax is paid you would probably have less from working than what you'd get for idling.
p.s. If we have to work away from the office, we would have to provide a receipt even for a sandwich costing £1. This is paid back in our next wage packet (taxed of course!).

• Posted by: jonocynic9 • Report Comment

WOULDNT PAY EM IN WASHERS!

11.03.08, 1:00pm

"WOULDNT PAY EM IN WASHERS!"

Quite right too, they will be surplus to requirements within the next 12 months, so why the hell should we continue to pay for such wastage?

I wish these people would get a real job, or at least learn to do the job correctly.

Look, single guy, aged around 45, claiming DLA, got a scooter, council flat = because he has a bad foot.

Breakfast everyday in the local cafe, in the pub 11:00 - 16:00. Hard life.

Housing officer supports him.

What a disgrace.

• Posted by: byteback • Report Comment