THOUSANDS of civil servants are to strike for the second time this year causing disruption to many public services.

The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents 270,000 civil servants in Worcestershire will be staging the second national strike over pay, jobs and privatisation on Tuesday, May 1.

The strike, the first of which was held at the end of January, will involve thousands of members across Worcestershire in a variety of departments, including HM Revenue and Customs, Department of Works and Pensions, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Defence, Learning and Skills council and the DVLA.

Union member and fines clinic officer at Worcester magistrates, Katie Spragg said it was anticipating some disruption to the court but was unsure to what extent this would be.

The Driving Standards Agency said it would be urging all driving test candidates booked to turn up for their test on the day, regardless of the threat to strike by examiners who are members of the union.

A spokesman for the agency added if candidates find there is no examiner to take the test, a new date will automatically be rebooked by the DSA and an out of pocket expenses form will be sent along with details of the new test. But if candidates fail to turn up they will not be able to claim.

Branch Secretary for Defra and the State Vets Service, Bruce Thomas said: "We are planning an old fashioned hustings, where the PCS union will invite members from the main political parties from Worcestershire to join us and talk. It is quite an intriguing idea. Worcestershire has thousands of members and in Worcester itself there are about 500 who are being asked to strike, for the very same reasons as last time."

He added this would be held at the Whitehouse Hotel on Foregate Street during the day of the strike, and many other members would be picketing outside their place of work.