Civil servants vote for pay strikes

Civil servants have voted in favour of nationwide strikes in protest at the Government's public sector pay policy, it was announced today.

The move by members of the Public and Commercial Services union threatens a winter of industrial action across Government departments and agencies, including job centres, courts, coastguards and immigration centres.

The union, which represents 270,000 workers in the UK, said 54% of those taking part in the ballot backed industrial action.