More
than 100,000 civil servants in five government departments are voting on
whether to take industrial action over the imposition of ‘derisory’ pay deals.
The
strikes would take place over two days at the end of the month and would be the
biggest in the civil service for more than 10 years.
The
Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) blamed the increasingly hardline and
‘belligerent’ attitude of departments in imposing below inflation pay offers.
The
union has also accused departments of using ‘smoke and mirrors’ to make pay
offers appear bigger, by including commitments made in previous years.
Staff
in immigration offices, job centres, county courts and prisons are among those
voting on possible strike action.
The
Government has imposed:
•
a 2.6 per cent cost of living increase in the Department for Work and Pensions
•
a 1 per cent cost of living increase in the Department for Constitutional
Affairs
•
a 1.3 per cent cost of living increase in the Home Office
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•
a 0.5 per cent cost of living increase in the Treasury Solicitors Office
