Staff at the Government Legal Department, Legal Aid Agency and Land Registry are set to go on strike next month over pay, pension and job security.

The Public and Commercial Services Union announced yesterday that its executive committee has agreed to call a one-day strike on 1 February of all members in employers where the turnout passed the 50% threshold required by law for action.

The list of departments that reached the 50% threshold and voted for strike action include Land Registry, Serious Fraud Office, Legal Aid Agency, Government Legal Department, Parole Board, Youth Justice Board and Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.

PCS said the strike will be the largest civil service strike for years, with 100,000 members expected on picket lines. ‘As the cost of living crisis worsens, with inflation at nearly 11%, members are saying they’ve had enough of being treated appallingly. Our campaign is for a 10% pay rise, pensions justice, job security and no cuts in redundancy terms.’

The decision to strike comes in the same week the government announced plans to introduce new laws that set minimum levels of service that must be met during strikes. Justice was not listed among the sectors that would be covered by the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill.

 

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