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| Passport staff in strike action | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Passport office staff have started a three-day strike, the Identity and Passport Service has confirmed. | |
| Services at the passport office in Belfast will be disrupted on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. | Services at the passport office in Belfast will be disrupted on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. |
| The move is the latest in the continuing wave of strikes over the government's policy of capping public sector pay below the rate of inflation. | |
| An Identity and Passport Service spokesperson said they would "strive to maintain a service". | An Identity and Passport Service spokesperson said they would "strive to maintain a service". |
| "All IPS regional office counters will remain open and we are able to issue passports for those in emergency situations or with urgent needs," the spokesperson said. | "All IPS regional office counters will remain open and we are able to issue passports for those in emergency situations or with urgent needs," the spokesperson said. |
| "Any customer who has booked for premium services or an interview will have the appointment honoured. Customers needing further advice are requested to call the Passport Advice Line on 0870 521 0410." | "Any customer who has booked for premium services or an interview will have the appointment honoured. Customers needing further advice are requested to call the Passport Advice Line on 0870 521 0410." |
| A two-day strike by council workers closed leisure centres and libraries and stopped rubbish collections last week and Coastguard staff staged a two-day strike at the weekend. | A two-day strike by council workers closed leisure centres and libraries and stopped rubbish collections last week and Coastguard staff staged a two-day strike at the weekend. |