AROUND 2000 civil servants across Tayside will down tools and walk out this month as part of a national dispute over pay.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) are due to take to the picket line on November 10 in support of their claim for a better pay deal.

The strike will see numerous civil service-run offices across the wider region closed for the day.

The stoppage is not related to the recent walkouts by council employees in Tayside—represented by the Unison, Unite and GMB unions—who are also in dispute over their pay.

PCS Scotland East branch secretary Hamish Drummond said members did not want to cause inconvenience for the public but action had to be taken over the current pay award.

He said experienced workers who had risen to the top of their pay bands were only being offered a 2% rise this year followed by a 1% increase in the following 12 months.

Mr Drummond said the government’s “public sector pay restraint policy” had led to the unrest and the ballot for nationwide action.

He said, “If you keep it to this side of the Tay then you are looking at about 2000 (union members striking) between Perth and Arbroath.

“We regret any negative impact on the public, but without proper competitive pay for the civil servants working there these services the public receive are going to be sub-standard in the long term.”

It means job centres, some courts, driving test centres and Revenue and Customs offices will likely close for the day.