Lambeth braces itself for day of strike action (From Your Local Guardian)

Lambeth braces itself for day of strike action

10:16am Sunday 27th November 2011 in News

Workers in Lambeth are holding a “carnival of resistance” as part of a day’s strike.

Members of Unison will be taking part in the TUC day of action on Wednesday, November 30 over pensions.

Jon Rogers, Unison secretary for Lambeth, said: “All the trade unions locally are working together.

“We expect to close down Lambeth’s public sector on Wednesday.

“We already know that Lambeth College will be closed to students on Wednesday and we expect that the same will go for schools, libraries and day centres across the borough.”

The trade unions said they had agreed minimum cover in the health service and social work, where there could be a risk to “life and limb” if no one was at work.

But they are expecting all union members to “respect the strike call”, which follows a series of ballots by all of the trade unions.

Mr Rogers added: “No one wants to go on strike and in the third year of a pay freeze our members can hardly afford to lose the money.

“However, the Government want to make us work longer and pay more to get less when we retire and – if they get away with it – we believe that they could destroy our pension funds all together.”

“Although our strike is about pensions, our members are angry at all the spending cuts and job losses being forced through by the Coalition Government. “ Unison is inviting people to join them at 11am in Windrush square to demonstrate.