Benefits staff vote to strike

Union leaders say open plan working is not safe

Thousands of civil servants have voted to strike in protest at the removal of security screens from newly-designed jobcentres.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union backed industrial action with 53% voting in favour.

Union leaders meet on Wednesday to decide whether to name strike dates.

But Alistair Darling, Work and Pensions Secretary, condemned the dispute as a "pointless" one which will hit vulnerable people.

If the management would agree to meet us there is a chance the action can be averted

Mark Serwotka
PCS union

Union members, who voted 16,770 to 14,659 in favour, work in jobcentres and benefit offices.

They were angry about government plans to re-locate them in new-look offices without glass screens.

Turnout in the ballot was 50%, with workers being asked to support five days of strikes every month until the dispute was settled.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary elect of the PCS, said: "A majority of members have voted for the most protracted strike action ever put to them, despite an unprecedented management propaganda offensive.

"We don't relish going on strike before Christmas and if the management would agree to meet us there is a chance the action can be averted."

Protests

Staff protests followed the stabbing of a security guard in an east London benefits office in November.

When the office re-opened, staff refused to continue working.

This is a pointless dispute that is damaging to staff and customers

Alistair Darling
Work and Pensions Secretary

Removal of screens began in 49 centres in October, as part of the government's decision to merge job centres and benefits offices into one service called Jobcentre Plus.

The union has maintained that staff regularly face verbal abuse from clients, and this can sometimes erupt into violence.

But after the strike vote, Work and Pensions Secretary Alistair Darling signalled his determination to press ahead with the changes, which he said made security a higher priority than ever before.

He said: "The experience of staff working face to face with customers reinforces my view that Jobcentre Plus is the right thing to do.

Darling: 'pointless dispute'

"And it will be done - throughout the country."

Mr Darling said the turnout meant only one in four of those balloted had voted for the strike and the union was "split down the middle".

"This is a pointless dispute that is damaging to staff and customers.

"We will continue to do all we can to maintain benefit payments but a national strike will hit vulnerable people.

"The union must know that this will not be a pain-free dispute."