More public sector strikes on cards as pay dispute continues

Public and civil services look set to be hit by further strike action as civil servants continue to fight against below-inflation pay offers.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union are up in arms over the government’s 2% public sector pay cap.

Of 91,749 members balloted, more than half backed plans for industrial action, which includes nationwide civil service strikes, targeted strike action and overtime bans.

Details of the action will be announced by the union’s National Executive Committee on Thursday 23 October.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “The hardworking people who keep this country running, from passports, immigration and justice, to coastguards, tax and jobcentres, face increasing financial hardship because of the government’s public sector pay cap.

“Pay freezes and real-term pay cuts are simply not sustainable when you are earning a pittance and experience double digit rises in food, fuel and housing costs.”

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Up to 600,000 council workers staged a 48-hour strike in July as part of the long-running dispute over a below-inflation pay award of 2.45%.