Ionawr 26ain 2007....January 26th 2007

Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd is backing Swansea members of the Public and Commercial Services Union who have decided to take industrial action on Wednesday.

Swansea PCS civil servants including those in DVLA, tax offices and job centres will all strike on Wednesday due to disagreements with the Labour Government plans on job cuts, civil service pay policy, privatisation and threats to conditions of service.

Dr. Lloyd will attend a rally at the Unitarian Church, High Street, Swansea on Wednesday between 12.00-2.00 p.m.

Dr. Lloyd stated:

“Swansea’s civil servants will join colleagues throughout the UK on Wednesday to protest against these job cuts that New Labour wants to push through. They have Plaid Cymru’s full support and I am pleased to be able to join the rally on Wednesday to show that they have the support of Plaid members in Swansea.

“Staff morale is at rock bottom. Who would have thought that a Labour Government would feel the wrath of the workforce in such a way. This is a sure sign that its historical bond with the general workforce is lost.

“New Labour’s plans to cut 104,000 civil service jobs will undoubtedly have an impact on the service that the public receives. Many of these posts, such as tax office staff and job centre staff provide quality, personal, face to face services for some of the most vulnerable people in society. To cull the civil service in this way is irresponsible.

“This unplanned move will hit Swansea and fellow Objective 1 areas hard. We need more quality jobs not less.

“Gordon Brown insists that these cuts are needed to make efficiency savings. Some would argue that these cuts are being pushed through to fund unnecessary expenditure – the illegal Iraq war being one such example.”

Diwedd/Ends.