Schools to close during strike (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Schools to close during strike

8:45am Tuesday 15th July 2008 in Swindon By Ben Perrin

MORE than 1,000 pupils will get an extra day at home this week as a council workers' strike will see vital services disrupted.

Libraries will also be closed and recycling collections put on hold during the two-day stoppage.

The striking workers are in dispute with the Government over pay and will strike tomorrow and on Thursday.

The strike will mean Brimble Hill School, in Redhouse, Crowdys Hill School , in Jefferies Avenue, Penhill Primary School and Ruskin Junior School, in Wordsworth Drive, in Stratton, and The Children's Nursery in Drove Road will all close.

Peatmoor Primary School will be open tomorrow but will be closed on Thursday.

There will be no kerbside recycling collections on either day and Cheney Manor Household Waste Recycling Centre will close for both days.

Libraries are affected too with West Swindon, Central, Even Swindon and the Mobile Library closing for both days and Highworth, Liden and Wroughton closing for one day.

The Swindon Museum and Art Gallery will also shut for the strike.

A council spokesman said: "We hope to operate a reduced wheelie bin and blue sack collection service on Wednesday and Thursday, but this cannot be guaranteed to reach all areas on those days.

"We would ask residents whose waste is due for collection on Wednesday or Thursday, but is not collected on those days, to leave it out until 6pm on Friday, by which time we intend to have collected it all.

"All car parks will be open. Drivers must not assume there will be no parking enforcement on the strike days - it is likely there will still be some parking attendants on duty."

The two-day strike was called after Unison balloted its 600,000 members across the country, and 55 per cent voted for industrial action.

The union has rejected a 2.45 per cent pay increase.

Union branch secretary Bob Cretchley, said: "Unison members in Swindon are angry at continuing low pay settlements and are now taking industrial action to put pressure on the employees to improve their current offer.

"Our members are facing rising costs of living far in excess of 2.45 per cent and cannot continue to see their living standards deteriorate.

"The lowest rate in local government is only £6 per hour.

"This is an absolute disgrace for staff providing vital local services."