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Search forVIDEO: 100 council protesters take to streets
Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 12:01
Up to 2,000 city council workers in Unison and about 600 who are members of Unite joined the walk-out in protest over pay.
Members of the GMB union, the other public sector blue collar union, carried on working.
Refuse collectors, teaching assistants and administrative staff were among those who stayed at home. About 100 joined a city centre protest march.
Jeremy Guise, spokesman for Unison in Plymouth, said: “Public sector workers are angry that they and their families are once again expected to accept a below inflation wage rise – in effect a pay cut – at a time when many of the necessities of life such as food, fuel and housing costs are rising in price.”
The unions have rejected a 2.45 per cent pay offer which they say does not match inflation. The Consumer Price Index has risen to 3.8 per cent.
But Plymouth City Council said its ‘core services’ were not affected. The Torpoint Ferry was grounded yesterday and will remain at its moorings except for emergencies today.
Drivers were forced to use the Tamar Bridge or cross on foot, via the Cremyll Ferry and a special water taxi set up by an enterprising Torpoint firm.
Some brought bicycles on to the boat – and one man even travelled on a unicycle.
Three schools closed, including Stoke Damerel Community College – which sent hundreds of students home at lunchtime because it was unable to provide dinners. The school will shut at the same time today. Special schools Longcause in Plympton and Woodlands in Whitleigh had already said they would close for the two days.
The city council said only about 10 per cent of yesterday’s refuse collection rounds were uncollected – affecting properties in Belliver, Billacombe, Colebrook, Efford, Estover, Plympton and Thornbury.
Residents were told to take their rubbish back in and wait until next week’s collection.
Strikers, who are losing two days’ pay, formed picket lines outside the council depot in Prince Rock and the offices at Ballard House.
All libraries and swimming pools in Plymouth remained open.
Callington and Liskeard libraries have also closed for both days, while Lux Park Leisure Centre in Liskeard closed at 2.30pm yesterday and will shut at 3.30pm today.
The city council announced the unions had agreed to maintain ‘life and limb’ services for the most vulnerable in society.
Bridge and ferry manager David List said there was no major disruption crossing the bridge.
He added: “Between 7am and 8am the traffic on the bridge was equivalent to what it was on the bridge and ferry the day before.
“But the toll and the TamarTag system coped without any problems.”
Stoke Damerel Community College principal Carol Hannaford said catering staff, who were not employed by the school, were joining the strike.
She said children who qualified for a free school meal would be given a packed lunch and children who could not be looked after at home could stay in the library under staff supervision.
Mrs Hannaford said: “We recognise that this may cause inconvenience to many parents and we apologise for this.”
About 100 angry council workers took to the streets of Plymouth city centre just after 11am.
Teaching assistants, administrative staff, street cleaners and other workers waved banners and blew whistles as they marched down Armada Way, around New George Street and Cornwall Street.
The demonstration briefly stopped traffic on New George Street but did not cause major disruption during its 20 minutes. The march ended with a rally in front of the Civic Centre.
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Congestion charging could be introduced on the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry as part of a pricing strategy overhaul, bosses have revealed.
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