PICKET lines formed outside prisons in Glasgow as court and prison workers staged a 24-hour strike over pay.

Picket lines formed outside several buildings as the industrial action by members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union got under way yesterday.

Staff are unhappy with their current deal, saying they are working more for less pay as staff who leave are not replaced.

The PCS is seeking a 5% or £1,200 pay increase for public-sector workers, citing price rises of 16% and real-term pay cuts since the financial crisis.

The union said its members working for the Scottish Court Service (SCS) are working under enormous pressure to deliver services with fewer resources and with "little or no reward for their hard work".

It highlighted concerns about additional workloads at the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) as it undergoes an organisational review.

The strike also involves PCS members working for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Risk Management Authority.

It is the final walkout of a two-month rolling programme of industrial action by the PCS across the Scottish devolved governance sector.

An estimated 28% of SCS staff (about 435 people) were taking part in the industrial action today compared to around 26% during similar action in July last year.

An SCS spokesman said: "No courts are closed although some business has been adjourned to allow essential business to proceed in the Supreme Courts, Sheriff Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts.

"Some courts are offering a limited service and there is no public counter service being provided at Stornoway, Glasgow, Greenock, Kilmarnock, Airdrie, Ayr, Lanark and Alloa.

"Despite the level of staff taking part in industrial action at some locations, the joint planning with justice partners will ensure that no cases are lost due to industrial action."

The union expected about 2,000 members to take part in the action. It said picket lines formed outside courts in Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as several prisons including Shotts, Polmont Young Offenders' Institution and Barlinnie.

A spokesman said: "We've had excellent support, with reports that new activists joined the picket lines for the action.

"We are delighted to get such strong support on what is the last day of this tranche of action. They have shown that they are not prepared to accept the current deal."

The COPFS said it had arrangements in place to ensure the delivery of all required business.

An SPS spokesman said: "We are aware of the planned industrial action and do not anticipate any major disruption to normal prison regimes."

The Scottish Government said it was committed to working with the PCS and other trade unions to address the challenges presented by the current financial climate.

A spokesman said: "As a result of the UK Government's austerity measures, the Scottish Government's discretionary budget is being reduced in real terms by nearly 10% over five years.

"We have consistently rejected the Chancellor's approach to public finances and remain concerned about the impact of spending cuts on public services, household budgets and economic recovery.

"Within tight current budgetary constraints, we have set out a distinctive pay policy for Scotland that aims to be fair and affordable.

"In contrast to the UK Government, Scottish ministers' pay policy targets support for those on the lowest incomes, including a commitment to the Scottish Living Wage and a minimum pay increase above 1% for those earning less than £21,000, as well as a continuing policy of no compulsory redundancy."