Inverness DWP Job Centre union members on strike
Several members of staff from the Jobcentre on Tomnahurich Street are on strike today.
The civil servants from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) are taking action because they want a 10 per cent pay rise from the government, job security and protection for their pensions and redundancy rights. Inflation is nearly at 11 per cent.
According to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), nearly 25,000 DWP staff are paid below National Living Wage.
Union member Joe McGowan who is on the picket line today, said: "We've had minimal increases over the years, while inflation has been increasing. We've also lost two percent off our pensions, and at our retirement we won't see that.
"It is a disgrace that we work for the government and many of our staff are living below the National Living Wage.
"We also want to show solidarity for every other walk of life. We are all feeling the pinch."
He added: "There is not much support for civil servants from the government, but during Covid we came into work. We got people's benefits out, and the furlough paid. We were the third emergency service at one point, and now that's over they don't care about us."
From April 2023 DWP will be legally bound to raise the wages of almost 25,000 of its lowest paid staff to meet the National Living Wage. This amounts to 28 per cent of all DWP staff. The National Living Wage is the legal minimum wage set by the government for anyone aged over 23, which from April 2023 is £10.42 per hour.
Vivyan Maclean, who is also on the picket line today added: "The government were forced to raise our administration office workers role to come in line with the national living wage. That's awful that we have had to get to the point where they are legally bound to do so."
