Civil servants to vote over action (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Civil servants to vote over action

2:28am Monday 8th September 2008 in

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Hundreds of thousands of civil servants are to be balloted on whether to take industrial action for at least three months in a bitter dispute with the Government over pay.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said around 270,000 of its members across the UK working in every Government department will vote from later this month on a rolling programme of industrial action which will extend into the New Year.

The PCS will also try to co-ordinate any strikes with other unions which could cause huge problems for the Government later in the year.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the ballot followed growing anger over the Government's policy of trying to limit pay rises in the public sector to 2% this year which he complained was disproportionately hitting some of the lowest paid workers in the country.

A series of strikes have already been held this year by coastguards, immigration officers, driving test examiners, passport and jobcentre staff but if members approve the new wave of industrial action it would be the biggest bout of strikes by civil servants for years.