300 public sector workers on strike

Strikes have taken place at Government offices across Lincolnshire in a bid to stop cuts being made to redundancy pay-outs.

Picket lines were mounted outside civil servant offices in a bid to prevent ministers cutting back on settlements for staff losing their jobs.

Currently, pay-outs can be up to six-years wages for some members of staff.

The changes will mean civil servants who earn £30,000 or more will have redundancy pay capped at two times their yearly salary.

Those earning less than that will still get up to between two and three years' salary.

Around 300 workers from Jobcentre Plus offices, benefits departments, tax offices and courts have taken part in the strikes, which have been organised by the Public and Commercial Services union.

The strike action began yesterday and is due to last until the end of today. The full scale of the disruption will not be known until the industrial action is over.

Graham Peck, PCS Lincolnshire branch secretary representing the Department for Work and Pensions workers, said: "The strikes are necessary to prevent a move which would have a seriously detrimental affect on staff and services.

"If we sat back and did nothing, these changes would be put through and staff are not happy about them."

For more, see Tuesday's Echo.