PCS are on strike. I can't help thinking that striking at a time like this really isn't going to work - even though I agree with the sentiments behind the strike. Why do the government want to change the terms for redundancy payments now? The only plausible answer is that they are considering mass redundancies over the coming years. I don't support the argument that it is appropriate to bring the civil service into line with the private sector either. Conditions in the civil service are different - pay at the lower ends is generally poorer, but is by and large tolerated because some of the other benefits - pensions, flexible working - are good. Start to strip away the benefits and the case for putting basic pay in line with the private sector becomes stronger. And yet the civil service is facing zero pay rise next year (after years of pay increases around 1% when the private sector was getting 5%).

So the cause is justified, but the strike is still misguided. Public perception of civil servants is dreadful at the best of times. Striking over conditions at this time is not the way to win it over.

Mark Serwotka it seems to me is overly bellicose, enjoying the power of "everybody out!" far more than taking practical steps to protect his members.

So in the end nobody wins. Certainly not the civil servants who lose 2 days pay, and a lot of public sympathy, as well as their redundancy rights.