UNIVERSAL Credit staff at DWP branches are voting on whether to strike to demand more staff and a lighter workload.
Up to 700 staff in Wolverhampton and Walsall service centres are being balloted for a possible strike next month.
They say they are under pressure with too many phone calls coming their way, and not enough staff to cope.
They want to hire 5,000 extra staff to help with the new benefits system, limit the number of calls per person, and for management to limit the size of their hub.
The PCS union says it would be the first walkout since the new welfare reform has been fully rolled out.
It says: "Universal Credit has been a disaster for claimants and our members who work in the service want to see a properly funded, humane system which helps those in need, not one that punishes and sanctions people for falling on hard times."
They are voting over the next three weeks, and if they opt to strike it will take place on March 11 and 12.
PCS general secretary Mark Sewotka said the ballot must be a "wake up call" to ministers.
He said: "Our members have not taken the decision to ballot lightly.
"But the responsibility for the breakdown in industrial relations lies squarely with the government, who want to run this service into the ground while treating staff with contempt."
Staff on Universal Credit staged a 48-hour walkout back in 2015.
But officials insisted there would be no impact on the public if it did go ahead.
A DWP spokeswoman said: "We are disappointed that PCS has chosen to take this course of action and planned meetings with the union are ongoing.
"Our top priority remains assessing and making payments to customers.
"We are comfortable with current staffing levels and will monitor and reallocate resource where necessary."
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