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MORE than 800 civilian staff who maintain military equipment for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched a rolling programme of strike action over pay yesterday.
The workers are employed by the government-owned Defence Support Group, which faces privatisation.
Like all public sector workers, they have seen the real value of their wages plummet under the coalition government.
The workers — members of union Unite — are demanding an eight per cent pay raise.
The main MoD centres involved are Bovington in Dorset, Catterick in Yorkshire, Colchester, Donnington in Shropshire, Sealand in north Wales, Stirling in Scotland, and Warminster in Wiltshire.
Workers will return to the picket lines today, with more strikes planned.
Unite national officer for the Defence Ministry Mike McCartney said: “Our members voted overwhelmingly for strike action because of the one per cent derisory pay offer, as well as the unknown future they face being sold off to the private sector.”