STRIKING benefits agency staff were on the picket line in Swindon this morning.
They claim they will be under increased threat of attack from clients if a Government plan to do away with glass security screens goes ahead.
Today was the second of a two-day action, and the picket line formed outside the Benefits Agency office in Spring Gardens.
Sue Greenhouse, Swindon representative of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said: "We are on strike as part of a national strike. We have 82 members and 75 of them are out.
"The dispute is about safety the Job Centres and Benefits Agencies will join in April, and the Government wants open plan offices.
"That means safety screens will be coming down. We're quite happy for the screens at the job advice service to come down, but the benefits service can be dangerous.
"We get verbal abuse on a daily basis and some physical abuse and recently there was an incident in London in which a security guard was stabbed."
The Government claims its new policy will promote better and more efficient customer service.
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