JOBCENTRE and Benefit Office staff went on strike to protest against government plans to introduce open plan offices and remove safety screens.

More than half of the 200 Jobcentre staff and most of the Benefit Office staff at Catford, Woolwich, Forest Hill, Greenwich and Deptford staged a walk-out on December 12 and 13.

The Government wants to develop open-plan Jobcentre Plus offices without the safety screens used in Benefits Offices to protect staff.

As part of a government strategy, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is merging Jobcentres and benefit offices.

Woolwich employment office audit clerk Deborah Bailey said: "The security screens are needed because we do get violent customers."

Members of the Catford branch of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have pledged to strike for up to five days each month until their demands are met. But they hope talks to resolve the dispute will begin next week.

A spokesman for the PCS said: "This is something we are reluctant to do, but we have no choice.

"Management and the DWP have refused to respond to our requests to talk. We will do all we can to make sure job seekers do not suffer more than they have to. But the fact so many staff are willing to lose pay so close to Christmas shows how important this is."

A spokesman for DWP said: "There is no point to these strikes they will only hit the vulnerable just before Christmas. We are taking safety more seriously than ever."

December 19, 2001 11:00