Ref. 28514-6JOBCENTRE staff have voted to go on strike next week over a pay dispute.

Swindon members of the Public and Commercial Services Union are to join a national two-day stoppage on January 29 and 30.

They are hoping they will have enough support to close the Swin-don Jobcentre, in Clarence Street, and the Social Security office, in Princess Street, on both days.

Sarah Hornsey, the PCS representative at Swindon Jobcentre, said: "There is strong support in both offices for what we are doing.

"There is no guarantee they will shut down but we will be hoping that is the case.

"We don't want to cause disruption to the public but we are short-staffed and our pay rise wasn't good and people are upset.

"I can't remember when we last considered going on strike but things have got so bad."

The national vote in favour of strikes and other industrial action was announced on Wednes-day.

Among staff at the Department For Work And Pensions, which includes Jobcentre staff, 60 per cent of those who voted supported strikes.

Staff and management are in dispute about the substance of a pay settlement introduced in December.

The union has said the settlement amounts to an average rise of only 2.6 per cent below the level of inflation.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "We have come up against an increasingly belligerent management in a number of departments who seem hell-bent on driving down pay.

"We are not talking about run away pay increases.

"We are talking about money which is there, money that can start to deal with the endemic problem of low pay in the Civil Service."

But the Department Of Work And Pensions has said the majority of staff have been given pay rises of five per cent.

A spokeswoman said: "If some people decide to take strike action it will be a priority to ensure disruption to customers is minimised and people who rely on payments continue to receive them.

"We are confident that we can run a near normal service."

The PCS union represents civil servants in a number of Govern-ment departments.

Staff at the Home Office, Department For Constitutional Affairs, the Prison Service and Treasury solicitors have also backed strikes.

If you have a query regarding the service you will receive during a strike contact the Jobcentre on 01793 586000.

Andy Tate