Big walkout sparks mass disruption

MAKING A STAND: Pickets at Oldham JobCentre Plus

SCHOOLS across Oldham were shut and public-sector workers held pickets as strikes hit Oldham this morning.

The walkout over pension changes by around 1,400 teachers left only 21 of Oldham's 105 schools fully open with 59 schools closed and 25 partly open.

Parents, grandparents and carers picking up children at St Matthew's Infants and Chadderton Hall Junior schools yesterday were broadly supportive of the strike.

Dean Burgess said: “My partner and I both work. We will be able to get something in place which isn’t ideal, but in principle I am right behind it."

Tracey Mayall added: “I am self-employed so it is not causing me any problems. But I agree with the strike because they are going to lose out on their pensions. They deserve a medal."

But one parent who did not want to be named, said: “I definitely do not agree with it. All these people who are classed as working for the Government want to finish work before everyone else, pay less in and get an easy life."

NUT rep Alison Watkinson was on the picket line this morning at The Radclyffe School in Chadderton, which is closed to pupils.

She said: “I am towards the end of my career. There is an importance in terms of pensions but the big issue for me is am I going to be an effective teacher when I am older? I doubt it."

Tony Harrison, the union’s Oldham branch secretary, added: The Government is claiming that the teachers’ pension fund isn’t affordable in the present circumstances, but the National Audit Comm'ssion has stated quite clearly that the teachers’ scheme in particular is about to break even and will probably go into surplus.

“The other thing that is said quite often is that our pensions shouldn’t continue because, if they are not cut, that is unfair on the private sector. That is an insidious argument.

“We should be campaigning for the private sector to provide decent pensions otherw'se everybody is going to be poor in old age."

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) joined the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in the action, affecting courts, job centres, coast guards and tax offices.

The union, of which there are 260 members in Oldham, says vital public services are being axed and hundreds of thousands of public sector workers thrown out of work, with those remaining facing pay and pension cuts.

PCS branch secretary Martin Larkham and colleague Mark Livesey took to the picket lines at 6.40am outside Oldham Benefits Agency at Phoenix House, Union Street, and were expecting colleagues to join them.

He said private-sector bosses, MPs and Bank of England chiefs had not had their pensions affected, adding: “The injustices when they talk about so-called gold-plated pensions for the likes of us is nonsense. Most people here work part-time so their pension is very small, around £4,000. We have to defend what we have got. 

“We will have the rest of our lives disrupted so one day of inconvenience is nothing. We have to make a stand."

He expected disruption elsewhere too, adding: “The job centre will probably be open as managers go in. They will have a ghost operation."

Five workers were picketing at the staff entrance of the Union Street Jobcentre Plus as staff turned up to work and were due to protest outside the public entrance later.

One worker said: “It’s the only way we can get our message across, to go on strike, as no-one is listening."

Pickets were also expected outside Oldham County Court and Oldham Magistrates Court before strikers all travel to Manchester for a rally. Failsworth Driving Test Centre was also anticipated to be affected.

The strike was also due to affect border control at Manchester Airport though itis only expected to delay inbound passengers.

The airport said contingencies are in place to minim'se disruption.

Protest meetings are due at prisons and security staff set to hold strikes at the Houses of Parliament.