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Public sector workers stage 24-hour strike over pay Public sector workers stage 24-hour strike over pay
(35 minutes later)
Public sector workers from courts, museums, driving test centres, jobcentres, airports and other facilities are staging the latest strike over pay.Public sector workers from courts, museums, driving test centres, jobcentres, airports and other facilities are staging the latest strike over pay.
More than 200,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) were expected to join the 24-hour walkout, which also involves picket lines being mounted outside government offices, courts and other buildings.More than 200,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) were expected to join the 24-hour walkout, which also involves picket lines being mounted outside government offices, courts and other buildings.
Targets also include the National Gallery, where striking workers from there were joined by others from a range of London museums protesting at what they regard as increasing privatisation, and by anti-Shell protesters targeting the first day of the gallery’s new Rembrandt exhibition, which is sponsored by the oil company. Targets also include the National Gallery, where striking workers from a range of London museums protested at what they regard as increasing privatisation, and anti-Shell protesters targeted the first day of the gallery’s Rembrandt exhibition, which is sponsored by the oil company.
The PCS said many civil servants will have had a 20% cut in their incomes by next year because of frozen wages and increased pension contributions since the coalition came to power.The PCS said many civil servants will have had a 20% cut in their incomes by next year because of frozen wages and increased pension contributions since the coalition came to power.
The stoppage – which follows a four-hour strike by health workers on Monday in support of a 1% pay claim – is part of a series of national and local walkouts over the past few years.The stoppage – which follows a four-hour strike by health workers on Monday in support of a 1% pay claim – is part of a series of national and local walkouts over the past few years.
Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary, said: “These figures prove what people in low-paid households already know, that the real cost of living is soaring while wages are being cut year after year.Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary, said: “These figures prove what people in low-paid households already know, that the real cost of living is soaring while wages are being cut year after year.
“Our action this week demands an end to these cuts that are slashing the public servants’ living standards at the same time as millionaires are handed tax cuts and tens of billions of pounds is stolen from our public finances every year through tax evasion.”“Our action this week demands an end to these cuts that are slashing the public servants’ living standards at the same time as millionaires are handed tax cuts and tens of billions of pounds is stolen from our public finances every year through tax evasion.”
He added that the industrial action this week, followed by a national demonstration organised by the TUC on Saturday under the slogan Britain Needs a Pay Rise, shows that the issue of low pay “will not go away”. He said the industrial action this week, followed by a national demonstration organised by the TUC on Saturday under the slogan Britain Needs a Pay Rise, showed that the issue of low pay “will not go away”.
The Cabinet Office accused the PCS of “irresponsible leadership” and said the union had a weak and outdated mandate for Wednesday’s strikes. The Cabinet Office accused the PCS of irresponsible leadership and said the union had a weak and outdated mandate for Wednesday’s strikes.
“They didn’t even manage to persuade a fifth of their members to back action,” it added. “They didn’t even manage to persuade a fifth of their members to back action,” it said. “Worse still, their ballot was conducted 18 months ago. It cannot be right for the union leadership to threaten to disrupt the lives of hardworking people when the overwhelming majority of dedicated public servants did not support these strikes.
“Worse still, their ballot was conducted 18 months ago. It cannot be right for the union leadership to threaten to disrupt the lives of hardworking people when the overwhelming majority of dedicated public servants did not support these strikes.
“As part of our long-term economic plan, this government is taking tough decisions to address the budget deficit we inherited after the 2010 general election. One was to introduce pay restraint in the public sector, while protecting the lowest paid. Pay restraint protects public sector jobs, supports high-quality public services and helps keep the UK’s finances back on track.”“As part of our long-term economic plan, this government is taking tough decisions to address the budget deficit we inherited after the 2010 general election. One was to introduce pay restraint in the public sector, while protecting the lowest paid. Pay restraint protects public sector jobs, supports high-quality public services and helps keep the UK’s finances back on track.”