Strikes hit council (From Yeovil Express)
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Strikes hit council
6:26am Wednesday 29th March 2006 in Yeovil By Lyndsey Mayhew
STRIKE action hit hard in South Somerset yesterday (Tuesday) as disgruntled workers protested over pension cuts.
Residents and people coming into the area were affected as members of unions refused to cross pickets lines at schools, colleges and council offices.
More than a thousand school children were affected as top Yeovil school Bucklers Mead Community School shut its doors.
Police and council services were also hit as members of Unison and the T&G union protested along with school ancillary staff. Workers at Somerset County Council headquarters County Hall in Taunton also stopped work.
Refuse services in South Somerset was the worst hit in the area as workers downed tools to form a picket line at the Lufton Depot.
The council workers joined more than one millions of fellow union members taking action nationwide.
Members are angry with the Government for making changes to guidelines set out in its Local Government Pension by making people work until the age of 65.
Latest proposals will remove the 85-year rule from October 1 that allows members of the scheme to retire at 60 on a full pension if their age and years of service total 85.
The corridors at South Somerset District Council were quieter than usual as an estimated one third of council workers confirmed their objection by staying away.
A spokesman for the SSDC said: "It is very much business as usual for the council. Staffing levels have been down on some services, but overall there has not been a major disruption to services.
"The telephone lines have been under pressure but our area offices have been open."
The worst hit area has been refuse collections but council officials are reassuring the public that new collection dates have been arranged.
Officials say they have been working with skeleton staff and thank people for their patience and cooperation.
The national strike could be the UK's biggest industrial action since the General Strike of 1926.
