UK government departments, courts and driving test centres will be hit by a fresh strike today as tens of thousands of civil servants are expected to walk out in a bitter row over pay, pensions and terms and conditions.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union across Whitehall, government agencies, museums and other areas are staging a half-day stoppage.
A planned strike by staff at the Home Office and UK Border Agency was called off after a legal challenge by the Government.
The walkout is part of a three-month long campaign of industrial action, which started with a strike on Budget Day last month.
The union is embroiled in a bitter row over pay, pensions and changes to terms and conditions, and has accused ministers of refusing to hold talks. Picket lines will be set up outside Government offices from lunchtime and a protest will be held at the Cabinet office in Westminster.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “These walkouts, following our strike on Budget Day, are part of an ongoing campaign of industrial action and protests to put pressure on a government that is refusing to even talk to us.
“Civil and public servants are working harder than ever to provide the services we all rely on but, instead of rewarding them, the government is imposing cuts to their pay, raiding their pensions and trying to rip up their basic working conditions.
“We have asked for talks but ministers and senior officials have refused, so we are taking action to oppose and shine a light on what are deeply unfair and unnecessary cuts to the living standards of hard-working public servants.”
The Driving Standards Agency yesterday said it was doing everything it could to make sure that tests go ahead as planned today and urged candidates to arrive for their test as usual.
Out-of-pocket expenses will be paid if a test is cancelled.
The union announced that it had suspended Monday’s strike at the Home Office and UK Border Agency following the legal challenge, which it said will only serve to escalate the dispute.
The strike at the Home Office and UK Border Agency has been rescheduled from today to Monday after the union said staff had been told they would be docked a full day’s pay even if they only walked out for half a day.