Public sector workers in Barnsley today came out in protest against austerity cuts and attacks on their pensions, some for the third time in the last 12 months  

 

The mood  of the  strikers was obvious to see  and many are now drawing the conclusion that, as well as the struggle to save jobs and conditions in the public sector, their very existence as a public service is now threatened by a Coalition government that is determined to make them pay for a crisis not of their making.

References were made to the latest elections in the UK, France and Greece and the growing opposition to auterity cuts across Europe as an example that things were changing and that with strong united leadership the trade union and labour movement  in the UK could actually bring down the Coalition Government.

 

Here are some pictures and quotes from the day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doug Pope UCU, Barnsley College:   Striking against Government Cuts  and to save his pension. " I do not want to work until I am 68 to get a reduced pension.  As a family man with children I want time in my later life to spend with my children"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Williams PCS National Executive: "This is the strongest  action yet that we have ever  had in Barnsley . The proposed cuts in pensions are unnaceptable to out members.  Danny Alexander has admitted that the pension cuts are to pay for the Government  deficit. We tell him -  we are not paying for the deficit which is not of our making"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dave Bedford Unite, NHS:  " We must counter the lies about public sector pensions. The average ancilliary worker   in my workplace has a pension of  £4,500 per year compared to an equivalent of  £9000 in the private sector. My members say to the Government "stop attacking our pension scheme"