Council staff down tools for more pay

Picket line outside the Civic Centre

THOUSANDS of Oldham’s public-sector workers today staged their biggest strike in years over salary freezes and low pay.

Some council services — such as libraries and bin collections — were suspended for the day and others were affected by the walk-out.

Schools across the borough were shut, forcing parents to find alternative childcare arrangements. They included Newman College, Failsworth School, North Chadderton School, Saddleworth School, Radclyffe School and Oasis Academy Oldham.

Striking unions were Unison, GMB, Unite, NUT, the Fire Brigade Union and the Public and Commercial Services Union, and workers gathered with banners at a picket line at the Civic Centre.

Rallies were held in Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Chester. Around 38,000 civil servants across the region took part in the strike contributing to around 1.5 million nationally.