Union threatens action over ‘naive’ job cuts at DWP

The
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has branded today’s announcement of
job cuts at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as the "height of
naivety".

The
DWP announced job cuts in the Pensions Service as part of its four-year
programme to slash its workforce by 30,000.

The
DWP said benefits processing in Jobcentre Plus centres will be cut from 650
sites to 100. Pension Centres will be cut from 29 to 10.

However,
the PCS said the impact of the cuts would be devastating.

PCS
general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "To think you can arbitrarily slash
thousands of essential jobs without any adverse impact on the delivery of
services is the height of naivety.

"We
call on the Government to think again and realise the devastating impact of
these cuts," he said. "If it fails to do so, the union will consider
all options to defend jobs and services."

Secretary
of state for work and pensions Andrew Smith said that savings would mean the
Government could invest in the New Deal and other programmes to help children,
pensioners and disabled people.

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"While
any job losses are regrettable, improving efficiency will release resources to
make further progress on child and pensioner poverty and get even closer to
full employment," he said.

By Jessica Devonport