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Second strike by civil servants Row over national strike impact
(about 8 hours later)
Tens of thousands of civil servants are staging a second national strike over pay, job cuts and privatisation. Civil servants and the government have disagreed about the impact of a second national strike over pay and job cuts.
Courts, tax offices, job centres and driving tests will all be hit, two days before local elections. The Public and Commercial Services union said more than 200,000 staff in courts, job centres, tax and benefit offices and museums went on strike.
The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said the 24-hour walkout will affect up to 200 government departments and agencies. But the government said that only around 113,000 people walked out, with a "minimal" effect on public services.
The Cabinet Office insisted there was "absolutely no need to strike" and said it valued civil servants highly. The union said further action will take place on Wednesday, with the start of a two-week overtime ban.
The first one-day strike was held on 31 January to coincide with the deadline for returning tax self assessment forms.The first one-day strike was held on 31 January to coincide with the deadline for returning tax self assessment forms.
The union is angry at government plans to cut 100,000 civil service jobs, privatise services and keep pay rises below the rate of inflation.The union is angry at government plans to cut 100,000 civil service jobs, privatise services and keep pay rises below the rate of inflation.
'Dogmatic hostility' This massive show of support demonstrates how angry and frustrated the government's own workforce are over below inflation pay offers and crude job cuts Mark Serwotka, PCS union
Ministers had refused to negotiate with the PCS unless they called off the strike - a decision union general secretary Mark Serwotka called "belligerent". The PCS said the strike caused "massive disruption", with the closure of offices, museums and galleries and disruption of courts including the Old Bailey in London.
"The heart of our public services is being ripped out as services suffer in the race to slash jobs," he said. The Department for Education and Skills public inquiry line was closed for the day and a "significant" number of staff at the Serious and Organised Crime Agency were on strike, according to the union.
"At the same time, the government is using its own workforce, a quarter of whom earn less than £15,400, as an anti-inflationary tool by insisting on capping pay at 2% while inflation creeps up to 5%. English Heritage sites, such as Eltham Palace in London also closed, said the PCS.
The heart of our public services is being ripped out Mark SerwotkaPublic and Commercial Services union May Day rally
"Added to which you have a dogmatic hostility to publicly run services and the misguided view that the private sector is always better than the public." General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "This massive show of support clearly demonstrates how angry and frustrated the government's own workforce are over below inflation pay offers and crude job cuts."
Union officials say they will tour picket lines on a "battle bus" and insist the government must agree to talks to avoid further walk-outs. He added: "It is a disgrace that the government appears determined to use its own workforce as an anti-inflationary tool by capping pay at 2% while the real cost of living creeps up to 5%."
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said civil servants could not be "immune" to changes needed to achieve better value for money and adapt to new technology. Mr Serwotka accused the Cabinet Office of refusing to negotiate and of cancelling meetings where some of the issues could be resolved.
But he insisted: "As the government has said repeatedly, there is absolutely no need to strike. Picket lines were mounted outside government buildings, courts, offices and museums across the country, and many striking civil servants joined the traditional May Day Rally in Central London, which had a theme this year of defending public services.
"We value civil servants highly. They do a great job for the public." A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said there had been a minimal effect on public services, adding: "As the government has said repeatedly, there is absolutely no need to strike. We value civil servants highly. They do a great job for the public."