WORKERS at Redditch tax office will join national colleagues in a one-day strike on Friday in a protest at Government plans to slash more than 100,000 jobs.

The strike has been called by civil service union the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).

PCS office secretary for Redditch, Matthew Davies, said the Government could not arbitrarily cut staff without it having a negative impact on public services such as payment of tax credits, general tax inquiries and job centre services.

"The people the government are seeking to axe aren't bowler-hatted Sir Humphries based at Whitehall or faceless bureaucrats, they provide vital services that touch everybody's lives from cradle to grave.

"They work as a team delivering the things we take for granted, such as driving licences, passports and child benefit."

Thirty workers from the Redditch office will be taking part in the strike.

Redditch MP Jaqcui Smith said: "There is a painful process to go through to ensure every penny is spent on frontline services.

"84,000 of the 104,000 jobs to go are to be cut from Whitehall establishments and the money saved will be directed at education, health, defence and overseas aid.

"I regret any job losses and the Government must do what it can to help people into new jobs.

"However, with record levels of employment and very low unemployment, the prospects are not too bad for those affected."