Benefits workers in mid Essex are on strike.

It follows the national launch of a pilot scheme on Monday, replacing 50 traditional Jobcentres countrywide with new-look Jobcentre+Pathfinder offices.

Employees from Chelmsford's Beeches Road and New London Road branches have formed picket lines protesting against changes, which include the removal of security screens separating the benefits worker from the claimant.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.