October 15, 2014 9.55 am This story is over 113 months old

Lincoln civil servants demand pay rise during strike

PCS strikes: Public and commercial service (PCS) workers across Lincolnshire are taking part in a national 24-hour strike as they campaign for fair pay.

Public and commercial service (PCS) workers across Lincolnshire are taking part in a national 24-hour strike as they campaign for fair pay.

The strike forms part of week-long action in Lincoln and beyond, including NHS campaigns.

Workers in Lincoln, on October 15, formed picket lines outside Department for Work and Pensions offices, including the Lincoln Jobcentre and Lincoln Contact Centre.

PCS strikes in Lincoln are park of a national strike for fair pay.

PCS strikes in Lincoln are park of a national strike for fair pay.

It is estimated that they are joined by around 250,000 people across the country.

According to the PCS union, civil servants working at executive officer grade have had a pay increase of 2.05% since March 2010.

In addition, campaigners say pension contributions have been increased.

According to the Office of National Statistics, civil service employment on March 31 2014 was down 2% on March 2013 figures.

The number of full-time civil servants fell by 7,353 to 332,692 between March 2013 and March 2014.

Public and Commercial Services union branch secretary Nick Parker said: “Hundreds of civil servants across Lincolnshire are striking today because we all need a pay rise.

“PCS members working in the DWP have had seven consecutive years of real-terms pay cuts and we’re saying enough is enough.

“We understand for some members that taking industrial action before Christmas is going to be hard, but if we don’t strike and win this dispute, every Christmas is going to be hard.

“Public servants do vital work to help some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“But we won’t be made to pay for an economic crisis that we didn’t cause. If the economy is supposedly in recovery, working-class people deserve our fair share.”