LOW-PAID staff given the job of shifting claimants to the universal credit benefit scheme will down ledgers for two days next week in protest at useless IT systems and unfair targets.

Almost 1,500 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will strike on Monday and Tuesday, 80 per cent of the workforce at the original two call centres administering the scheme in Bolton and Glasgow.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “These harsher working conditions must be withdrawn, they simply heap more pressure on staff who have battled against poor IT, inadequate training and a lack of resources.”

Eighty-four per cent of the members voted for strikes on a 56 per cent turnout. The workers are then planning a work-to-rule until mid-August.

Sites in Bangor, Basildon, Dundee, Makerfield and Middlesbrough could be balloted if the union is unsatisfied with the government’s response to the walkout.

Staff at the DVLA are being balloted by PCS in a dispute over the scrapping of double time for Saturday night shifts.

Call-centre workers in Swansea say bosses are arguing that they should not expect a “premium” for the work when retail workers cope on normal rates.

“What they’re really saying is … south Wales is a ‘low-wage economy’ and they can therefore get away with paying less to Swansea staff,” said rep Paul Williams.