More than 130,000 UK civil servants were striking today - March 15 - for their pay, pension and job security. With chants of "solidarity" and placards reading "If HSE can't regulate, who will?" hundreds of strikers, who work in key departments including education, health, transport and the environment among others, picketed the Welsh Government offices in Cathays Park.
Workers from HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) were among the strikers, along with members of unions such as the PCS, RMT, UCS and Prospect. They gathered outside the offices that primarily serve as a base for HM Revenue and Customs, but are also the UK's Department for International Trade and Cabinet Office, at 7am on Wednesday, March 15.
The UK government has offered a 2% pay rise for civil servants, and urged strikers to recognise, "what is reasonable and affordable". But the PCS union has claimed that, by April, 2023, around 20,000 workers in HMRC and VOA (Valuation Office Agency) will be on the national minimum wage. Members of Prospect union claimed their members' pay had fallen 26% in real terms in 13 years.
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Marianne Owens, regional chair of Wales PCS, who is also on the national executive committee, was amongst those striking today. She said: "We deserve better pay because our work keeps everything else running, it is complex work. We are struggling to get new employees when you can work at McDonald’s for more money."
Also amongst the protestors was Sean Dwyer, a member of the PCS who has worked for HMRC for six years. Sean said: "Our pay has been steadily eroding and the government are content that our living standards have declined as our pay is not meeting the cost-of-living rise. I understand why people would want to leave if nothing changes, workers in the call centres could get payed a better wage in food places and not have to deal with half of what they deal with whilst working at HMRC." He claimed HMRC was understaffed and people found getting through to sort out their taxes “takes ages”.
A spokesperson from HMRC said: “Discussions are continuing between HMRC and the civil service unions. We have robust plans in place to ensure we continue delivering critical services for our customers during any industrial action.”
The civil servants will be striking across “strategic areas” for the next six months as part of the largest industrial action the union has taken in more than a decade.
Alison Smith, vice president of Prospect’s public services sector and branch vice chair said: “Members have turned out in large numbers to send a message that they are fed up of seeing their incomes dramatically decline in real terms. They have had enough. They worked hard during the pandemic to keep Wales safe and to help it thrive whilst we have seen no real terms pay increases and inflation hit 13% in the Autumn. Many of us are struggling to pay our bills and feel that the pressure has become relentless with no let-up in sight.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: "Industrial action should always be a last resort, and discussions continue at official level with civil service unions. We urge them to recognise what is reasonable and affordable, as the whole country faces these cost-of-living challenges."
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "We recognise the current pressures public sector workers are facing and will monitor the effects of industrial action carefully.”
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