Thank you for contacting me about strike action and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union.
I regret that the PCS union has decided to take strike action. The public sector pay awards are a careful balance between recognising the importance of public sector workers and delivering value for money for the taxpayer.
The Government has been clear that double-digit, inflation-matching pay rises are simply unaffordable and would only sustain higher levels of inflation, reduce people's long-term purchasing power, and erode the value of savings. I am glad that the Government has been working constructively with all the unions involved to reach a fair and reasonable deal.
As the public would expect, in line with similar measures taken by our European neighbours such as France and Spain, the Government is taking reasonable action to keep essential services running and minimise disruption during strike action.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.