Union pleased with strike impact

10 March 2010

UNION officials and the Government were in dispute this week over the effect of a strike by civil servants in North Somerset.

The Public and Commercial Services union claimed Weston's Jobcentre was offering limited services because of the walk-out on Monday and Tuesday.

It also said border controls were delayed, driving tests called off and the HM Coastguard in Swansea was not operating a full service.

But the apparently-disrupted agencies responded, saying most civil servants were working normally and services were maintained.

The strike was held in a row over redundancy pay, which members claim is to be by up to a third, paving the way for Government cuts.

PCS North Somerset secretary Richard Capps joined 'dozens' of workers who stayed away from Weston's jobcentre.

He said: "Out of the 60 or so workers here just 20 came in each day, resulting in quite an impact on services.

"I know interviews were cancelled and people were being signed on without any questions asked, there were not enough people in.

"At other places I know the Government has been saying everything was working as normal, but really I believe it was to the contrary.

"We're happy with how the two days went and we hope we made our point."

But the HM Coastguard, the Driving Standards Agency and UK Border Agency all reported minimal disruption this week.