Come on, feel the noise

Photo: Darren Robinson

HUNDREDS of striking public-sector workers march in Oldham town centre.

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Protesters make their anger heard in Oldham’s biggest demonstration since the war
OLDHAM MP Michael Meacher joined in what he said was the biggest demonstration in his 40 years as a member of parliament — and probably since the war.

Hundreds of public sector workers from Oldham and Rochdale marched three times around Oldham town centre waving banners, chanting and blowing their vuvuzelas and whistles yesterday in a noisy response to their pensions coming under attack.

Some carried placards which read “Eric Pickles ate my pension” while others proudly carried Unite, Unison and GMB flags and one played his big bass drum.

It all got too much for one elderly woman protester, who collapsed during the first circuit and was attended to by an ambulance.

Just before 1pm, demonstrators gathered outside Iceland in the town centre for speeches from Mr Meacher and union representatives, before giving the noisiest protest at 1pm.

The Labour veteran told the crowd: “This is the biggest demonstration that I have seen in all my time as an MP — that’s 40 years.

“That shows how angry people are. About three million people are taking part in these strikes across the country.

“This Government is forcing working people to pay for the follies of the bankers — who get away with repaying nothing and are not facing job cuts.”

“And let me say this — they are not going to get away with this. We will not stand for pay more, work longer,” Mr Meacher added.

Protester Mike Powell, a maintenance craftsman for NHS Oldham, said: “I’m here to defend my pension. I’m fighting because I’ve got to do something.

“This affects everyone who works in the public services. It’s tomorrow I’m worried about — I’m in my 50s but people who just started jobs out of uni — well, I don’t know what age they will be working until.”

A spokesman for the police Unison branch said he was there to make people aware that civil police staff were also involved in these strikes.

“The police are also in support of us but they’re not allowed to strike,” he added.

Rochdale division secretary for the National Union of Teachers, Nick Wigmore, said: “We’re out today because the Government has refused to negotiate.”

The TUC estimated 120,000 public service workers joined the strike across Greater Manchester alone, with picket lines outside council offices, town halls, hospitals, courts, schools and colleges.

It said that more than 90 per cent of the region’s schools were closed, and emergency cover was maintained at every hospital in the North-West.

Alan Manning, North West TUC regional secretary, said there had been strong public support shown for the workers on picket lines earlier in the morning.

He said: “The public understands that public service workers have been left with no other option.

“Support understandably strengthened even more yesterday when George Osborne announced a measly 1 per cent pay increase for public sector workers over the next two years, on top of their existing two-year pay freeze.

“That came after he also announced the destruction of three quarter of a million jobs in public services.

He added: “The strike shows the real anger of public servants.”

Greater Manchester Police said no arrests were made during protests at five locations across Greater Manchester, including Oldham.

An estimated 200 people protested in Oldham town centre, with 500 at each of the three other sites in Bury, Bolton and Wigan.

Assistant Chief Cons Ian Hopkins, said: “An estimated 20,000 people have had their voices heard in a peaceful and legal way across the county and the fact we have not made a single arrest is testament to the way in which the protesters have conducted themselves.”

Emma Alexander, executive director for performance, services and capacity at Oldham Council, said around a third of council employees took part in yesterday’s strike action.

The Pennine Acute Trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester, reported minimal disruption for patients yesterday.

Emergency cover was needed in physiotherapy, X-ray and occupational therapy due to staff shortages but most services ran as normal.

A spokesman said: “A number of routine outpatient physiotherapy clinics and some follow-up general orthopaedic outpatient clinics were postponed and rescheduled.

“These patients were contacted and notified.”

A North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) spokeswoman said there were fewer ambulances on the roadthan normal.

There were delays in ambulance arrival times for some patients, and only urgent patients needing dialysis, cancer care or palliative care used the patient transport service.

Of A&E frontline staff in Greater Manchester, 57 per cent were absent and 36 per cent of patient transport services staff.

Michael McCourt, director of operations and nursing at Pennine Care, which runs mental health services and community services in Oldham, said community services had operated a reduced service.