Public sector workers walk out in pension row

People from Rochdale joined a rally in Oldham

Public sector workers from Rochdale took part in what the TUC called “the biggest strike in a generation” on Wednesday (30 November).

The national walk out over pensions disrupted schools, bin collections and other services across the borough.

The strike action meant that just five schools were fully open across the borough with 11 partially open and a staggering 74 schools closed.

The Town Hall, Rochdale Magistrates’ Court and the town’s three customer service centres were closed, as were all but one library.

The action also meant that bins were not emptied in Heywood, Bamford and Norden and Castleton. Bins in the areas will be collected on Saturday instead. 

The Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, that runs the Rochdale Infirmary, said that around 10 per cent of the Trust’s work force in total was absent and the three particular service areas affected were physiotherapy, occupational therapy and x-ray services.

Although emergency cover was still maintained, the Trust was forced to postpone and reschedule a number of routine outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics and some follow-up general orthopaedic outpatient clinics.

There were picket lines across the borough before some strikers made the short trip to Oldham where they took part in a rally in the town.

Helen Harrison, branch secretary of UNISON in Rochdale described the day as “really good” adding “a lot of people stayed away from work.”

Although figures from the school staff on strike are not yet in Ms Harrison estimated that at least 2,000 people were on strike and she also praised the reaction from others.

“I didn’t speak to anybody yesterday who didn’t support us,” she said.

“I was stood at Fashion Corner and busses and cars were driving past and beeping to show their support.”

In Oldham, Ms Harrison, said UNISON Rochdale was joined by the NUT from Rochdale and Unite from Rochdale.

Ms Harrison said she “hopes” the message is getting across.

Asked if there would be more strike action, she said: “It depends what the government does next – we want to sit down and have meaningful negotiations, meaningful being the key word.”