Civil servants plan to hit the picket line

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union will be staging a 24-hour walkout on January 31.

About 2,500 workers in job centres, benefit offices, prisons, courts and other services across south Essex will put down their pens and take their place on the picket line.

The announcement comes after it was revealed in November, 344 tax jobs at HM Revenue and Customs were under threat in Southend, Basildon and Shoebury.

Fiona Staff, Southend branch secretary, said: "I am not surprised in the slightest.

"Members are just so angry about the way they are being treated. They are really angry their jobs are being cut and their pay is being hit and then see millions of pounds being wasted on private sector workers and consultants.

"They have had enough of this and want to make a stand, and want to get the government talking about the future of the civil service."

The union has said there may be further industrial action which would include overtime bans in the run-up to the local elections in May.

However, Mrs Staff is still hoping the Government will come to the table and talk to the union.

She said: "Obviously within the union we would prefer it if we can sit around the table and talk with the Government, but we have reached a point where each of the talks have, so far, not gone anywhere.

"We are hoping we do not have to take strike action, but it is there as a last resort."

Across the country the processing of millions of tax returns will be hit by the strike as it hits the January 31 deadline for their return.

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said there was no need for strike action by PCS members.

He said: "The government values the civil service highly. If PCS members have concerns about job losses or pay there is an established industrial relations process to discuss these issues.

"We will do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies, but cannot give guarantees it will never happen."