Council strike will close schools, ground ferries and cancel bin collections

THOUSANDS of striking council workers are expected to march down Royal Parade tomorrow in protest at their pay rises.

Everyone from refuse collectors to teaching assistants in the Unison and Unite unions will complete a circuit of Royal Parade at 11am.

Local authority workers are joining a two-day national strike which will close a couple of schools in Plymouth and leave the Torpoint Ferry grounded. Bin collections will also be hit.

Unison branch secretary David Young said: “It will be a big demonstration. We are expecting thousands of people to be there.”

He added that he did not expect police to close the road for a long period.

More than 2,000 city council workers, who are members of the Unison trade union, and about 600 who are members of Unite are joining the national strike in protest over pay.

They are angry at a 2.45 per cent pay rise offer from the Government. Members of the GMB union will carry on working.

Strikers will man picket lines including one at the council’s Prince Rock depot before joining the protest.

The march will be followed by a rally with speakers between the Civic Centre and the Guildhall.