There was widespread disruption across Jobcentres, benefits offices, the Pension Service and Child Support Agency (CSA) yesterday.
Staff working for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stayed away from work in massive numbers on the first day of a 48-hour strike over a wage-cutting pay offer.
The two day strike called by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), follows the imposition of a below inflation pay offer which sees the lowest paid receiving increases which take their wage to only 24 pence above the minimum wage and approximately 40 per cent of staff receiving a nought per cent pay increase next year.
The union estimates that over 85 per cent of members took part in day one of the strike and warned that support would continue to grow as the stoppage moved into its second day, leading to further office closures and disruption.
Reports on the first day of the strike show that despite the weather picket lines have been well supported.
Offices were forced to close across the country and telephone contact centres were also hit with a number of sites playing recorded emergency messages.
In a number of areas the public are being told to call back on Monday.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said yesterday ‘The department and the government can be in no doubt about the anger that the imposition of this pay offer has had.
‘Expecting staff to accept no pay rise whatsoever next year is scandalous.
‘The massive support shown today shows that low paid staff, some of whom earn just above the minimum wage, are not prepared to see their wages cut or be accused of being the cause of inflation when they are the victims.
‘All the indications are that support for the strike will continue to grow as we enter the second day of the strike tomorrow.
‘The department and the government need to wake up to the growing discontent and start talking about fair pay for a workforce that has already suffered massive job cuts.’
At the Stockwell, south London picket line, Lambeth and Southwark PCS branch secretary Jackie Dutton told News Line: ‘The pay offer is appalling and we’ve also lost just under 3,000 staff in London Jobcentres.
‘With these cuts, it’s an increasingly worse service we’re providing people with.
‘We’re on poverty wages, a lot of our members are on tax credits. We should join up with other public sector workers.’
Holly Phillips said on the picket line outside Peckham Jobcentre: ‘I’m a newly-elected rep, I stand for fairness and I’m representing others and showing them that you have to fight for what you really want and you have to be united.’
Bob Dickie said: ‘Civil servants are living hand to mouth just to pay their bills.’
Jim Whitton, health and safety rep, said: ‘We’ve lost 2,500 staff just in the London area in the last three years and nationally around 25,000 staff have been cut.’
‘It means the most desperate people in society are being denied a service,’ added Karen Allen.
