Thousands join tax office strike as Shropshire services hit
Tax offices, courts, job centres and a driving test centre in Shropshire were hit today as more than 3,000 civil servants walked out in a row with the Government over pay and pensions.
Union bosses also say up to 900 public sector jobs have been lost across the county in the past two years.
Workers taking part in the 24-hour strike include those at the MoD Donnington base and the closure-threatened HM Revenue & Customs office, both in Telford, as well as the crown and magistrates courts in Shrewsbury, although cases were still being heard.
Shropshire's DVLA driving test centre in Shrewsbury was also affected.
The Public and Commercial Services union said up to 250,000 of its members would join the walk-out nationally, which will also hit ports, airports and museums.
The Midlands' branch of the PCS said disruption would be caused at the Land Registry offices in Shrewsbury and Telford and Shrewsbury's JobCentre Plus.
The PCS said the strike, which will be followed by a half-day walkout on April 5, was down to job cuts, office closures, pay restrictions and "detrimental changes" to contractual terms and conditions.
Mike Veric, vice chairman of the PCS Midlands' regional committee, said: "Austerity is only harming the lowest paid workers trying to offer a service.
"It is these people facing the greatest attacks and over the past couple of years we must have lost between eight or nine hundred county jobs right across the board.
"We are expecting a huge turnout of about 3,000 members across all Government departments in Shropshire as well as strong support from people in general."
But the Department for Work and Pensions today said JobCentres would remain open to the public "wherever possible".
A spokesman added: "We have measures in place to maintain a service. We expect everyone who is entitled to receive pension or benefit payments will receive them."
