Doncaster Jobcentre workers to stage two week strike over Christmas

More than 200 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working in three DWP offices in Liverpool and one in Doncaster will walk out from December 19 to 31.

The union said other targeted action at the DWP is likely to follow as part of the union’s national campaign for a 10% pay rise, job security and no cuts to redundancy terms.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members have been plunged into ever-increasing depths of poverty.

“They shouldn’t have to rely on foodbanks to feed their children or be forced to make the choice of either working from home because the journey into work is too expensive or working in the cold under blankets because the cost of heating is too expensive.

“It’s a disgrace that our members in the DWP – the government’s own employees – are claiming the benefits they pay out to others.

“The government is in the position to stop these strikes by putting money on the table, and we call on them to do so.”

The PCS will be announcing strike dates in other departments, including the Home Office, over the next few weeks.

A DWP spokesman said: “We greatly value the work of our staff but the PCS Union’s demands would cost the country an unaffordable £2.4 billion when the focus must be on bringing down inflation to ease the burden on households, protect the vulnerable and rebuild our economy.

“Benefits, the state pension and child maintenance payments are paid automatically and people who rely on that support will continue to receive it.”

The action comes after an earlier announcement over plans to move 160 Doncaster JobCentre workers to Sheffield.

Crossgates House in Wood Street in Doncaster city centre is earmarked for partial closure in summer of next year.

Earlier this year a union spokesman said: “Not only is this planned move bad for the DWP employees affected, who were promised the site was not under threat in 2017 and made life choices based on this information, like buying homes, choosing schools for their children, it is terrible for the local economy, for the carbon footprint and flies in the face of the so called “levelling up” agenda for areas like Doncaster.

“Whilst the government boldly claims levelling up “means giving everyone the opportunity to flourish; it means people everywhere living longer and more fulfilling lives, and benefiting from sustained rises in living standards and well-being,” this proposed move will do the exact opposite.

"It will increase costs on staff making the move by thousands of pounds every year, decreasing living standards and well-being.

"Their work life balance will be damaged, certainly causing strain in family relationships with increased stress and anxiety. The move will also have a huge knock on effect to businesses local to Crossgates House which rely on the passing and lunchtime trade of the staff employed there.”