J30 West Midlands round up
anon | 08.07.2011 19:38 | J30 Strike | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Birmingham
Thousands of public sector workers across the West Midlands joined other unions around the country for a day of action against government proposals to increase pension contributions and retirement ages.
Birmingham
In Birmingham more than 5000 public sector workers from different unions across the West Midlands assembled at Victoria Square to take part in a mass rally in the city centre. The unions included the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), University and College Union (UCU), Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and public sector union Unison.
On top of this there were hundreds of pickets and 14 feeder marches.
Notable actions in Birmingham were UCU members of Bournville College marching from the campus on the Bristol Road South to join the Rally in the City Centre.
There was also a mini-rally called by Unison at the Connexions office on Broad Street before joining the main Rally in the city centre
Other reports from Birmingham
Dudley
In Dudley the Public and Commercial Services union PCS which represents HMRC and CSA at the Waterfront in Brierley Hill also took strike action with 90 per cent of the 2000 employees on strike. As previously reported this is the second industrial action taken by the PCS members at the Waterfront who earlier in the month staged walkouts over concerns their health and well being is been put at risk by new polices introduced by HMRC
Unions took to the streets of Stourbridge on the morning of June 30 before heading to Birmingham to join thousands of other public sector workers in a mass rally.
Wolverhampton
After early morning pickets across workplaces in Wolverhampton such as Deansgate HMRC offices and the University of Wolverhampton, over 200 strikers marched through the City centre from the university to Metro One for the rally. After the rally the strikers then traveled to Birmingham to participate in the West Midlands main rally.
Other local rallies and marches were held in Telford, Shrewsbury, Coventry and West Bromwich.
School closures
The strike affected 76 out of 110 schools in Dudley with 40 being closed completely.
In Birmingham 271 out of 426 schools were affected with 158 closed completely.
In Sandwell 21 schools were affected with 15 being closed completely.
In Wolverhampton 45 schools were completely closed and 20 partially closed.
In Solihull 15 schools were closed.
In Walsall 6 schools closed completely and 59 partially closed.
In Worcestershire 30 Schools were closed and 49 partially closed.
In Staffordshire 10 Schools were affected.
Other reports from the West Midlands:
https://birminghamagainstthecuts.wordpress.com/upcoming-actions/june-30th-strike-day-activity/june-30th-strike-day-activities-list/
http://www.wolvestuc.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=444:june-30th-strike&catid=53:defend-wolverhampton-services-campaign&Itemid=72
http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-education-news/2011/06/30/teachers-strike-update-271-schools-in-birmingham-affected-65233-28969840/
In Birmingham more than 5000 public sector workers from different unions across the West Midlands assembled at Victoria Square to take part in a mass rally in the city centre. The unions included the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), University and College Union (UCU), Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and public sector union Unison.
On top of this there were hundreds of pickets and 14 feeder marches.
Notable actions in Birmingham were UCU members of Bournville College marching from the campus on the Bristol Road South to join the Rally in the City Centre.
There was also a mini-rally called by Unison at the Connexions office on Broad Street before joining the main Rally in the city centre
Other reports from Birmingham
Dudley
In Dudley the Public and Commercial Services union PCS which represents HMRC and CSA at the Waterfront in Brierley Hill also took strike action with 90 per cent of the 2000 employees on strike. As previously reported this is the second industrial action taken by the PCS members at the Waterfront who earlier in the month staged walkouts over concerns their health and well being is been put at risk by new polices introduced by HMRC
Unions took to the streets of Stourbridge on the morning of June 30 before heading to Birmingham to join thousands of other public sector workers in a mass rally.
Wolverhampton
After early morning pickets across workplaces in Wolverhampton such as Deansgate HMRC offices and the University of Wolverhampton, over 200 strikers marched through the City centre from the university to Metro One for the rally. After the rally the strikers then traveled to Birmingham to participate in the West Midlands main rally.
Other local rallies and marches were held in Telford, Shrewsbury, Coventry and West Bromwich.
School closures
The strike affected 76 out of 110 schools in Dudley with 40 being closed completely.
In Birmingham 271 out of 426 schools were affected with 158 closed completely.
In Sandwell 21 schools were affected with 15 being closed completely.
In Wolverhampton 45 schools were completely closed and 20 partially closed.
In Solihull 15 schools were closed.
In Walsall 6 schools closed completely and 59 partially closed.
In Worcestershire 30 Schools were closed and 49 partially closed.
In Staffordshire 10 Schools were affected.
Other reports from the West Midlands:
https://birminghamagainstthecuts.wordpress.com/upcoming-actions/june-30th-strike-day-activity/june-30th-strike-day-activities-list/ http://www.wolvestuc.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=444:june-30th-strike&catid=53:defend-wolverhampton-services-campaign&Itemid=72 http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-education-news/2011/06/30/teachers-strike-update-271-schools-in-birmingham-affected-65233-28969840/
anon