Four in five Labour candidates at Thursday’s elections have backed today’s nationwide civil service strike, according to a poll.
Up to 270,000 government workers stayed away from work today in a protest against job cuts, low pay and privatisation.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) claimed that 79% of the Labour candidates it polled ahead of the 3 May local, Scottish and Welsh elections were in support of its campaign.
The union said that 64% of 423 potential councillors that responded to its survey were against the government’s public sector reforms.
In July 2004, the government set out to make £20bn savings over four years by slashing 80,000 jobs, relocating 20,000 roles from the South East and making many other efficiency gains.
One in five Conservative and 63% of Liberal Democrat candidates are against job cuts, according to the PCS poll.
Meanwhile, 16% of Conservative and 45% of Liberal Democrat candidates support the union on privatisation.
Half of Liberal Democrat and 28% of Conservative candidates support the union’s call for higher pay in the civil service.
Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) candidates signalled nearly 100% support on privatisation and pay but were split on job cuts with 57% against the union’s campaign.
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In Wales, Plaid Cymru candidates gave the union 100% backing on job cuts and pay, but 40% were against privatisation and 60% were neutral.
Today’s strike follows a one-day walkout on 31 January.
