Second day of strike action

Adam Hewitt • Published 17 Jul 2008 10:00 0 Comments

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COUNCIL workers are taking part in a second day of strike action today (Thursday) with public services across Reading shut down or cut back.

Three schools and four libraries have been partly or total closed, while the Civic Centre remains shut and community care transport services suspended.

Bins will have to be emptied at weekends to relieve the backlog from the two-day walkout, while non-urgent housing repairs have also been postponed.

Around 50 striking workers marched yesterday from the Civic Centre to the Town Hall for an hour-long rally, hoisting flags and stamping their feet to the drum beat as part of the nationwide industrial action.

Former councillor Charlie Croal works in the benefits department at the Civic Centre and said: "It's getting harder to make money last until the end of the month, pay's not going up, but food is, fuel is, we can't make ends meet. But the public have been quite supportive, it's been good to see."

Holybrook Primary School is one of the three schools affected, and parent Stephen Hyman from Whitley said he backed the teaching assistants out on strike. His son goes to the school, which was closed yesterday along with the nursery class at Newtown Primary.

Mr Hyman said: "It's sad that the Government can give themselves a pay rise but can't give one to hard workers on the front line."

Brendan Carr works for the museum and is a Unison steward, and said: "We want everyone to come out again tomorrow, or else we'll have to keep expecting below-inflation pay offers, worry about paying our mortgages - we work hard and we deserve more."

Louise Keane works in social services, and said: "The prices of everything are going up, past pay offers have been rubbish, we've accepted it before but not any more."

Watching from an outdoor table at nearby pub The Monk's Retreat, retired university teacher Norman Robertson said: "I do support them, and I got out there myself with my placard back in the day. They're right to ask for fair pay."

But another man watching the protests, who asked to be called â€˜Dave', said: "It's fair enough, but I don't see why they should be getting more, price rises are affecting us all."

The unions Unite and Unison rejected a deal worth 2.5% in the face of spiralling household inflation, and are demanding 6% or 50p an hour, whichever is greater.

Their regional secretary Phil Wood said: "This below inflation pay offer goes nowhere near covering the recent hikes in food, fuel and energy bills. We are talking about basics, such as bread up 9% and butter up 38%. Local government workers don't want to take action but they cannot afford to take another pay cut."

The Government and Local Government Employers (LGE) said a higher pay deal was unaffordable, and could make inflation even worse.

Jan Parkinson, LGE managing director, said: "It's disappointing that the unions are taking council employees out on strike when only a small minority of their membership voted for industrial action. The settlement on the table is affordable for the council taxpayer and will make sure that local government continues to be an attractive place to work."

For the full details on affected services and new dates for waste collection, see: www.reading.gov.uk

Closed today -

Phoenix College in Christchurch Road.

Reading Central Library (Floor 3)

Caversham Library

Palmer Park Library

Whitley Library

Civic Centre, including the cash office and post office

- IN Wokingham borough, spokeswoman Andrea Jenkins said only "a handful" of workers are out on strike, with virtually all services running as usual, and no school or library closures or disruption to waste collection. The fostering service remains partially closed.

- NO services are affected in West Berkshire, because the public sector unions are not on strike.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 17 Jul 08

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