30,000 civil servants set for pay strike

MORE than 30,000 civil servants are set to go on strike in Scotland over pay and pensions in the hope of bringing courts, schools and the machinery of government to a halt.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union voted to join teachers in England and Wales on a day of action on 30 June in opposition to government cutbacks brought in to tackle the problems of the deficit.

In total, the strike could see 290,000 civil servants walk out across the UK as relations with the coalition government appeared to hit a new low.

In total 64 per cent of those who voted backed strike action, but a government spokesman pointed out that there was only a turnout of 32 per cent which meant only "one in five" backed striking.

Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said the government wanted "an open and constructive dialogue" with unions.

He added: "We are reforming public sector pensions responding to Lord Hutton's recommendations. Once we have finished reforming public sector pensions, they will remain amongst the very best available.

"We are freezing pay for two years for people on more than 21,000 in the public sector and that will help us preserve jobs in the public sector."

He added that ministers were keeping "under review" the question of whether laws on industrial disputes should be tightened, but at present did not see a "compelling case" for change.

PCS leader Mark Serwotka said: "This result shows that public servants, who provide vital services from the cradle to the grave, will not stand back while everything they have ever worked for is taken from them."