GOVERNMENT workers were taking to the picket line again today to protest over pay.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union planned to picket the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs on Whittington Road today and again on Friday.

A total of 180 members were due to take part in the strike.

Other PCS members will also be on strike in Bristol and Nottingham.

The former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) staff are angry because they say they earn £3,000 less than their ex-Department of the Environment and Transport counterparts after the two departments merged to form DEFRA after the last General Election.

These are the latest in a series of strikes by the PCS.

Workers first went on strike on Monday, August 20, followed by a two-day strike on the Thursday and Friday, September 20 and 21.

"We do feel we're making progress," said a PCS spokeswoman.

"Senior management at DEFRA have made a bid to the Treasury to meet our pay claim."