MORE leading politicians have backed striking civil servants following a second day of industrial action which caused disruption at law courts, the DVLA and even the Assembly.

The support echoes those of union representatives calling for the government to return to the negotiating table.

Thousands of Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union members took part in the second day of a UK-wide 48-hour strike over concerns about changes to redundancy and fears over pension cash.

The action even brought proceedings at the Assembly to a standstill yesterday when plenary session, including First Minister's questions was moved to today.

Labour-Plaid coalition AMs, who have refused to cross civil servants' picket lines in Cardiff Bay, joined PCS members on the steps of the Senedd.

Plaid AM Bethan Jenkins said: "I've visited the pickets this morning to lend support.

"No-one in Plaid has today crossed the picket line. That demonstrates the importance we place in the public sector, whether it is PCS members at the Assembly or local authority staff facing job losses in Neath Port Talbot and Swansea."

AMs will sit all day today in an attempt to get the week's business through.

Ms Jenkins added: "It is incredibly important as many people as possible support our public sector workers.

"Staff that are often on minimum wage are finding their jobs under perhaps unprecedented threat as a consequence of bailing out banks."

The union claims the UK government is trying to impose new rules, which would mean a maximum redundancy payment of two years' salary for those earning more than £30,000 a year.

But the deal could mean that long-service workers could lose as much as a third of the pension, according to the PCS, whose ballot for strike action was supported by nearly two- thirds of its members.

Many picketed offices including Swansea Magistrates' Court, the DVLA and pension centre, with union representatives claiming at least 3,000 of its members had joined the action.

PCS Swansea branch organiser Roger Langley said: "We have had fantastic support from our politicians over the last two days, they seem to understand what is going on at a local level. It is now time for Ministers to do the same."

Mr Langley estimated around 2,000 staff were absent from work yesterday due to the industrial action, and office staff at Swansea Magistrates Court were forced to act as makeshift ushers.

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, also offered support to protesters.

He said: "I back the concerns of civil servants that their terms and conditions of service are being altered at a time of great uncertainty in the public sector and would call on the government to get back around the negotiating table to discuss these issues with the unions."

Mr Langley added: "Union talks will now take place next Thursday and a ban on working overtime is in place."