Workplace mediators go on strike

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Hundreds of employees of an agency that works to resolve industrial disputes have held a one-hour strike over pay.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) staff took the action over a 2% pay rise offer which they say is well below the rate of inflation.

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), which funds Acas, said the strike was unnecessary as talks were on-going.

Acas aims to resolve workplace disputes through advice, training and mediation.

'Ironic'

The action by 635 Acas staff, who are represented by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), was also taken over delays to their pay increase.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "It is ironic that the people who help resolve industrial disputes have themselves been pushed into taking industrial action by unacceptable delays and a pay offer that represents a real terms pay cut.

"The situation in Acas is symptomatic of the government's policy towards public sector pay which is creating financial misery for hardworking families."

A BERR spokeswoman told BBC News: "We have been working hard to reach an appropriate pay remit with Acas.

Our members chose to go for one-hour stoppages because they assessed it will cause as much disruption to Acas - particularly the helpline - as half-a-day PCS spokesman

"Strike action is not necessary as discussions are continuing and an offer will be made as soon as possible."

In March members of PCS voted by almost two-to-one for a rolling programme of one-hour strikes.

The action earlier was the first of these and is due to be followed, unless a settlement is reached, by more one-hour stoppages throughout October and November, both in individual offices and nationally.

A PCS spokesman told BBC News: "Our members chose to go for one-hour stoppages because they assessed it will cause as much disruption to Acas - particularly the helpline - as half-a-day would, because of the backlog of queries that will build up."

Meanwhile, about 270,000 PCS members from across the civil and public services are voting on whether to take national industrial action on the government's decision to cap public-sector pay rises at 2%.

Although largely government-funded, Acas is a non-departmental body, governed by an independent council.