CIVIL servants in Blackpool could lose out on a bonus worth hundreds of pounds because they 'work in the wrong departments' a trade union is claiming.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) says financial services department staff at Norcross will lose out on a bonus going to colleagues in the the Disability and Carers Services and Jobcentre Plus because of whimsical decision making by employer, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

"The employer has chosen to arbitrarily pay some areas of the department non-consolidated bonuses and other areas have not been included," said Duncan Griffiths, PCS secretary for the DWP Fylde Coast, Preston and Filestores branch.

"Members in the excluded areas are up in arms to say the least.

"We are asking members concerned to write to the DWP human resources director to object to the inequality of treatment."

Branch chairman, Martin Jones, said the bonus scheme -- known as the Makinson system -- was divisive and created 'areas of inequality'.

"Although we do not object to the fact that some members have received fair amounts of money, we believe that the payments should have been made to everyone in the form of a consolidated pay rise," he said.

But a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said: "The Makinson bonus scheme was part of the negotiated DWP pay settlement in 2002, accepted by the PCS.

"The scheme, which has been piloted in specific locations, has received positive responses from staff as they felt that it showed the department valued their contribution."

He added: "There are alternative bonus schemes available to managers to reward and recognise exceptional achievement."