26 September 2023

UNITED KINGDOM: PCS says 100,000 will strike

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The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced 100,000 of its members will strike on 1 February in support of a pay and conditions dispute with the United Kingdom Government.

Union members in 124 Government Departments, along with several other bodies are expected to walk out.

The PCS has been calling for a 10 per cent pay rise, better pensions, job security and no cuts to redundancy terms.

The Government has offered a two-to-three per cent pay rise.

A further 33,000 union members in five more Departments have yet to decide whether they will join the strike action.

General Secretary of the PCS, Mark Serwotka said the only thing that would stop the strike was Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin putting more money on the table.

“If he doesn’t, then he’ll see public services from benefits to driving tests, from passports to driving licences, from ports to airports, affected by industrial action,” Mr Serwotka (pictured) said.

The PCA said the action would be the largest Public Service strike for years and was timed to coincide with the Trade Union Congress’s ‘protect the right to strike’ day of action.

The union said it was setting up a multi-million-pound strike fund which could sustain its members over months of industrial action.

Border Force staff, who are also represented by the PCS union, went on strike over Christmas and Mr Serwotka said that action could go on for months.

London, 12 January 2023

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