JOBCENTRE workers who deal with phone inquiries from benefit claimants are to strike on Monday.
Staff at call centres in Dundee, Glasgow and Paisley will join a strike by more than 6000 members of Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) at 32 offices across the UK.
The move reignites industrial action first taken last year against "draconian conditions" created by a target-driven culture, the union said, with workers encouraged to end calls within a certain length of time.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "With unemployment remaining high and our economy in the grip of recession, it's shameful Jobcentre bosses are refusing to let their staff provide the kind of help and advice that people need.
"These call centres provide a vital lifeline. Inquiries are often complicated, and people struggling to find their way around the benefits system are often understandably desperate and upset, but staff are being forced to end calls as quickly as possible just to meet an artificial target. Our members care about the services they provide and want to be able to help people properly, not fob them off."
Mr Serwotka claimed a shortage of staff was also exacerbating tensions in the sector.
It is understood some flexibility to the targets for call-handling times has been introduced.
The union claimed more priority had to be given to dealing with the inquiries of claimants as fully as possible.
A spokesman for the DWP said: "We are disappointed that some staff are taking industrial action which we think is unnecessary. We have gone to great lengths to resolve issues with unions. Jobcentres and benefit payments will be unaffected and claimants will be able to access some information online, so any impact will be limited."
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