Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Unison strike
Unison strike causes little disruption to South Shields
There were small groups of pickets at the Town Hall and Middlefields depot this morning to support the 24 hour strike action called by Unison in support of their pensions dispute. Schools were closed, the Metro transport system was not running, and the Tyne Tunnel was closed. Unlike some other neighbouing towns the car parks were open as normal and life went on pretty much as normal.
Around 75,000 public servants in the North-East took part in the strike after failed negotiations with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the government intends to end a system that allows Unison members to take early retirement with full pension rights at the age of sixty under the so-called 85 rule. (The rule describes the conditions required, years of service plus current age must equal at least 85 - i.e. someone aged 59 with 26 years service would be able to retire the following year.) Mr. Prescott's department would like to see this rule scrapped for all NEW entrants to the pension scheme from next month, basing the decision on the future inability of local government tax payers to afford the growing pension fund.
After the obligatory photocalls the pickets drifted away, probably enjoying a day off, like many others on Tyneside who did not wish to get bogged down in monster traffic jams near Newcastle.
Traffic moved freely in and around South Shields, indeed there seemed to be less than normal, and as this picture shows, a quiet afternoon for the traders in King Street looked no worse than normal for a Tuesday.
Amongst those spotted walking instead of burning fossil fuels was Cllr. Ken Hickman on his way to the Town Hall.
Click thumbnail to enlarge
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Newcastle Evening Chronicle
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