Strike Back Against Low Pay

OVER 100,000 civil servants, PCS members, in five
departments have voted decisively for industrial action over pay. (See below)

In the biggest department, the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) the workforce is particularly angry, having had a derisory 2.6%
pay deal imposed on them. Management are also forcing through a divisive
performance-related pay scheme.

During the ballot, it was clear in the pay campaign
meetings that PCS members were prepared to take action to support their claims.
In anticipation of a vote for action, the PCS leadership in the DWP announced a
two-day strike on 29-20 January. Strike rallies across the country will be held
on those dates.

This will be followed by a conference for branch
secretaries in February and further strikes in February and March.

The union leadership in the other departments will be
making similar plans now the ballot results are known.

A senior Whitehall official has already told the BBC that
strike action would be "indefensible" and that ministers are
preparing to stand firm.

But the union has pointed out a £100 million underspend in
the core running costs of the DWP. So the money is there for a pay rise in line
with inflation and to take the lowest-paid out of poverty.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka drew attention to the
scandal of low pay in the civil service when he said during the strike ballots:
"The people being balloted on industrial action aren’t your bowler-hatted
Sir Humphreys, these are people who are low paid, delivering key frontline
services and in many cases in receipt of the very benefits they hand out."

Ballot Results

Department for Work and Pensions

  • Turnout 42%

  • For 21,926

  • Against 14,097

Home Office

  • Turnout 31%

  • For 1,590

  • Against 1,124

Department for Constitutional Affairs

  • Turnout 48%

  • For 1,926

  • Against 1,151

Prison Service

  • Turnout 36%

  • For 997

  • Against 576