THOUSANDS of public sector workers across Warrington joined in the national one-day strike today.
Public services were disrupted – and strikers representing the trade unions involved in the dispute staged a march across the town from Town Hill to the Town Hall.
A rally – attended by more than 200 people – took place in Bank Park, with six speakers addressing the assembly.
One union spokesman described it as a “fantastic turn out” which illustrated the strength of feeling among union 
members.
There was a heavy police presence at the rally, but it was a orderly assembly with many demonstrators taking their children along in pushchairs.
Passersby in Sankey Street would not have known the demonstration was taking place.
Across the town there was widespread disruption of public services.
All lbut three schools were closed, but Priestley College and Warrington Collegiate were both open.
Refuse collection was suspended for the day and libraries were closed.
But it appeared many members of the public were not aware of this as hundreds of people still put their bins out for 
collection and some people turned up at libraries.
Network Warrington’s bus services were running as normal.
Leisure centres were open, as was Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.
But the Pyramid Centre, the Parr Hall, Warrington Market, Hatter’s Row, the Town Hall, New Town House, and Quattro were closed.
The Customer Contact Centre in Horsemarket Street was closed, but was taking calls on 01925 443322.
Adult Social Care home visits continued and the the Registrar’s Office and the bus interchange were open.
Police civilian staff joined the strike, but Cheshire Police stressed that all emergency services were being maintained.
David Trussell, secretary of the Unison branch representing the police staff said: “The average Local Government Pension is £4,000. The bosses of Britain’s largest companies, have an average pension 29 times greater than this.
“Our members feel incensed that millions of pounds from their salaries, will not go into the pension fund. How can this be fair? We are definitely not all in this recession together. We feel we are being used to pay off the National Debt.
“This is a very difficult dispute for us, as our grievance is not with Cheshire Police Authority or the people of Cheshire, but with Government Ministers who have refused to return to the negotiating table. We are therefore left with no other option but to join the day of action.”
Hospital services were disrupted but essential services such as Accident and Emergency were maintained. Some non-urgent appointments and surgical procedures were cancelled – although patients were informed in advance.
Pictures: The scene in Bank Park
8 Comments
And it will achieve and change what?
It is ironic that when many Council services are not available due to the strike, those council taxpayers who pay their council tax by direct debit will have had the money taken from their bank accounts this morning.
“David Trussell, secretary of the Unison branch representing the staff said: “The average Local Government Pension is £4,000. The bosses of Britain’s largest companies, have an average pension 29 times greater than this.” Averages can be very misleading, maybe the median or modal figure should also be quoted as it might show a substantially greater figure, and it is worth noting that it is entirely possible that many bosses of large Local Authorities or Government departments will also have pensions 29 times greater than the £4,000 mentioned. At a time when those in the State sector are complaining about their lot, they might consider the plight of those in the private sector, who are also losing their jobs, whose terms and conditions of employment are nowhere near as generous, whose pension schemes are being closed or have gone bust and whose redundancy payouts are far less generous and who are also subject to a pay freeze or in some cases a pay reduction. So far no politician has explained how the massive UK debt, which is actually increasing not decreasing, is going to be repaid and why it is fair that future generations should be saddled with the dreadful financial failures of previous generations, who have lived high on the hog for far too long, and seem to think that they have a God given right to continue to do so.
Anyone like to have a stab at the money the Council is saving in wages? If it is significant then encourage the Unions to have these pointless strikes more often and reduce the levels of Council Tax.
You can bet that the Union Leaders who called this strike will have very good pensions in store for them and nothing to lose whatever happens! I see the placards stating ‘Fair Pensions for all’ being wielded by the strikers, but I guess they mean their own pensions and not fair pensions for those of us in the private sector who don’t have them but are still expected to pay for the ones in the Public Sector. Where is the fairness in that?
My hope is that people who work for the Unions will be stopped from getting paid for it on company time and that the percentage of voter turnout needed will be increased to 50% so that our lives are not constantly disrupted by these people.
About £600,000
Perhaps that 50% voter turn out should also apply in general elections!!
You are right, but thankfully general elections have never had an overall turnout of less than 50%, the turnout in 2010 was about 65%, up from 61% in 2005. Alas not the 70 -80% turnouts of the 1950s to 90s. As I recall the turnouts for this strike were as low as 25%, which seems really very poor and interestingly it seems that far many more people have gone on strike than voted for the strike.