Two Sussex JobCentres were due to close today as civil servants continued a two-day strike over low pay.

The Brighton Regent JobCentre, Upper North Street, and the Brighton Phoenix JobCentre, West Street, were both hit by the walkout yesterday.

Elsewhere, the social security office in Eastbourne was set to close again as members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) continued their industrial action.

Lewes prison and Ford prison were reported to be unaffected by the 48-hour stoppage, involving administrative and support staff.

The biggest walkout was by staff at offices run by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), one of three Government departments affected by the strike action.

The DWP, which operates JobCentres and benefit offices, said customers were being directed to other offices which were still operating.

The PCS claimed many of its members were having to survive on poverty pay.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Increasingly, members are saying enough is enough. We are fed up with being underpaid and undervalued.

"Unfortunately, there will be disruption to the public but don't point the finger of blame at the thousands of low-paid public servants but at the senior managers on six-digit salaries."

More than 100,000 workers were expected to go on strike this morning on one of the worst days of industrial unrest in the history of the Civil Service.

Action by administrative and support staff at the Prison Service could disrupt the transfer of prisoners. The stoppage also affected the work of the Child Support Agency.

Meanwhile, 1,700 workers at the Office of National Statistics were scheduled to hold a one-day strike today, also over pay.

Wednesday April 14, 2004