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Civil servants vote for walkout Civil servants vote for walkout
(30 minutes later)
Thousands of civil servants have voted to strike in a long-running dispute over job cuts, privatisation and pay.Thousands of civil servants have voted to strike in a long-running dispute over job cuts, privatisation and pay.
The Public and Commercial Services Union said a 24-hour walkout will be held on 31 January, involving staff in more than 200 government departments. The Public and Commercial Services Union said a 24-hour walkout would be held on 31 January, involving staff in more than 200 government departments.
Job Centres, benefit offices, courts, driving examinations and many other services will hit by the stoppage. Job Centres, benefit offices, courts, driving examinations and many other services will be hit by the stoppage.
There will further industrial action including overtime bans in the run-up to the local elections in May. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said there was no need for strike action by PCS members.
"The government values the civil service highly. If PCS members have concerns about job losses or pay there is an established industrial relations process to discuss these issues," he said.
The union said there would be further industrial action, including overtime bans, in the run-up to the local elections in May.
General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We are already planning a second wave of action, which will not be a traditional one-day strike."General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We are already planning a second wave of action, which will not be a traditional one-day strike."
Majority back strike
About 280,000 members of the union were balloted about whether they supported action proposed by the union.About 280,000 members of the union were balloted about whether they supported action proposed by the union.
The union said it will affect the processing of millions of tax returns, filed at the last minute to avoid a £100 fine. Of those, 61,488 voted in favour of strikes with 38,823 voting against, a majority of almost 62%.
Mr Serwotka said the size of the majority demonstrated the anger at the way civil and public servants were being treated.
The result demonstrates the strength of feeling and anger among the very people we rely on to deliver public services John McDonnellLabour MP
The union predicted that more than 200,000 civil workers would strike, with pickets mounted at government and public offices across the UK.
This would match the last national strike by civil servants - in 2004.
The union said it would affect the processing of millions of tax returns, filed at the last minute to avoid a £100 fine.
The strike will be followed by a two-week ban on overtime.
The union is taking the action in a bid to ensure there are no compulsory redundancies. It also wants an assurance that pay, employment and other conditions will not be affected when civil servants are transferred to private firms.
It also wants pay levels increased after complaining that one in four civil servants earns less than £15,000 a year.
'No guarantees'
Mr McFadden said the PCS was the only civil service union to ballot for strike action.
"We will do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies but cannot give guarantees it will never happen throughout the efficiency savings (Gershon) process."
Labour MP John McDonnell, who has said he wants to be the next Labour leader, has urged the prime minister and chancellor to intervene.
"I urge the government to respond immediately to this ballot result and begin constructive negotiations to resolve the dispute," he said.
"The result demonstrates the strength of feeling and anger among the very people we rely on to deliver public services."