BURY'S social security office, which employs 170 staff, is to close under controversial plans to cut the jobs of 100,000 civil servant across the country.
The announcement caused outrage with union officials who are urging civil servants to support a one-day strike on November 5 in protest at the job losses.
The Department for Work and Pensions Secretary, Alan Johnson, said that the changes were part of the department's "continuing modernisation programme" which he said would lead to more efficient and effective services. Benefit processing work will be "centralised", moving to a smaller number of Jobcentre sites. The department said compulsory redundancies will only be as a last resort.
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