Public sector turmoil climaxes tomorrow

The public sector sees its very own Black Friday for industrial action tomorrow, as two brewing disputes come to a crescendo when staff at the Department for Transport (DfT) picket for the day, while voting closes for strike action at the Metropolitan Police.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union says in each case staff are responding to a series of below inflation pay offers. The DfT's employees are also angry at a widening gender pay gap. More than 8,500 staff will strike, affecting driving tests, traffic control centres and the introduction of new number plates.

More than 9,000 employees at the Metropolitan Police – including police community support officers, traffic wardens, 999 operators and admin support staff – are currently voting on whether they should take strike action. Earlier this year, police staff outside London struck a deal with the Government over pay, but those in the capital did not. Even Acas, the conciliation service that is responsible for solving such disputes, with some 650 employees are voting whether they go on strike about pay.

This week coastguards also voted for strike action for the first time in their history. Again it is in response to unsatisfactory pay. The one-day strike is planned for March 6.

Staff at the Science Museum have also voted in favour of strike action next month. Workers here are in dispute over pay as well as plans to close the civil service pension scheme to new members.

“The government's policy of holding down public sector pay increases below the level of inflation is creating disputes across the civil and public services,” says Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary. “Staff aren't prepared to see their pay cut in real terms.”