Jobcentre staff ready to take to the picket line (From Banbury Cake)

Jobcentre staff ready to take to the picket line

9:20am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News

JOBcentre staff will take to the picket line in Oxfordshire today after a programme of national industrial action was announced.

The Public and Commercial Sector union (PCS) has announced a programme of action to coincide with the Chancellor’s budget.

Oxfordshire’s branch representing Jobcentre workers will be involved in the action, with picket lines in Oxford, Banbury and Witney.

Kate Douglas who works in Oxford Jobcentre, said: “I struggle to pay the rent and rising bills each month and I’m about to have another pay cut next month when my pension contributions go up again.

“The Government tries to veto bankers’ bonuses being limited to a year’s pay and at the same time put me further into poverty. MPs haven’t had to pay more for their pensions which are far, far higher than mine.”

The union said the action would be followed by walkouts, disruptive action and an overtime ban over the next three months.

It comes after the Government allegedly refused to hold talks with the union about its demands, which include a minimum pay rise of five per cent.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is not a one-day protest, this is the start of a rolling programme of walkouts and disruptive action to put pressure on a Government that is refusing to talk to us.”