MORE than 1,000 tax officials are due to walk out on strike in Southend today.

Revenue and Customs staff at Alexander House, Victoria Avenue, are planning to strike at 4pm, following a dispute over changes to their sick leave conditions.

Union bosses are warning the action could be the start of a wave of walk-outs across the borough over the next few months, as disgruntled public sector workers make their feelings known about the Government’s cuts package.

Andrew Lord, south east Essex branch secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, which is leading today’s action, said: “This is very likely to be the start of something much bigger.

“I think a lot of union members feel they have got to the point where there is nothing else they can do.

“Strike action is a last resort. We regret the impact on individual taxpayers and claimants, but we need to demonstrate to management we will not accept this sort of draconian policy, or its impact on those who face the sack through no fault of their own.”

Alexander House is one of Revenue and Customs’ largest bases in the UK. It mainly deals with income tax and VAT work, but also runs a drop-in advice centre four days a week.

Following today’s action, members of the Public and Commercial Services Union, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the National Union of Teachers and the University College Union expect to stage a 24-hour walk-out on Thursday, June 30, against changes to the public sector pension scheme.

Unison, which has more than 1,700 members spread across Southend Council and other public sector businesses, will also meet later this month to vote on planned strikes in October.

Claire Wormald, the union’s Southend secretary, said: “We have tried negotiations, but so far they don’t seem to have worked.

“This could be the start of a series of strikes because we have got to that point. The Government simply hasn’t listened.”