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Civil servants strike continues
Civil servants will hold a march and rally to mark the second day of a 48-hour strike over cuts to redundancy pay.
The Public and Commercial Services union claimed more than 200,000 employees, including thousands in Lancashire had walked out on Monday causing "widespread disruption" to services.
The union said court sittings were cancelled, jobcentres offered limited services, 2,000 driving tests called off, passport appointments hit and border controls at ports and airports disrupted.
But the Cabinet Office maintained that 81,000 PCS members were on strike, adding that 85% of civil servants were working normally.
Ministers said all jobcentres and benefits offices were open, border entry points were working normally and court services were being maintained, while HM Coastguard said only 15 staff of 1,227 were on strike.
Dozens of PCS union's 4,000 members in Preston protested on the picket line, including at the HM Revenue and Customs office at Preston's Unicentre.
Lynne Wallace, PCS north west and Central Lancashire branch secretary, said: "We've got really good support and the sun was out, so we were not standing in poor weather.
"These are really fundamental issues we are striking over - if the Government gets away with it on terms and conditions it could lead to them getting away with cutting thousands of jobs."
Up to 60 civil and public servants were also out in protest at the Garth and Wymott prisons.
Mike Quirke, PCS north-west branch committee member, said: "With civil and public service jobs increasingly at risk, this is a cynical attempt to cut jobs on the cheap which will ultimately damage the services we all rely on.
"The cuts to the redundancy scheme will see loyal civil and public servants lose tens of thousands of pounds if they are forced out of a job."
A further 400 PCS members in Lancaster and 250 in Chorley took part in the protest.
The Government is looking to save 500 million through the changes, based on the number of jobs it has axed over the last three years.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
