PCS leader accuses government of waging war on its own workforce on eve of national strike

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka has accused the government of waging an ideological war on its own workforce. 

His comments come as 133,000 civil and public servants in 132 government departments walk out tomorrow (Friday, April 28) in the union’s third national strike over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security. 

Mark Serwotka said: “When you look at how badly ministers treat their own staff, it’s impossible not to think this is an ideological war on civil servants. 

“The evidence stacks up – ministers bullying their staff, giving our members the worst pay rise in the country, refusing to give them a back-dated pay claim or lump sum, like they’ve given everyone else, failing even to negotiate with us – so how else do you explain it? 

“How else do you explain the incessant attacks by government ministers on their own workforce, if it’s not a point of principle? 

“We were lauded throughout the pandemic, including by the Prime Minister when he was Chancellor, yet now we’re treated worse than anyone else, so it’s no wonder our members’ anger is growing. 

“Ministers should be setting an example to employers, paying their own staff a fair wage, not leading the race to the bottom.”

The strike action shows no sign of abating, with members on strike next week at the Passport Office, Department for Work and Pensions and Care Quality Commission. And just yesterday, workers at HMRC announced a 15-day strike.

Tomorrow’s strike comes the same week as PCS research showed one in five DWP workers claimed benefits and one in fourteen DWP offices had their own foodbanks.

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