Like in many other cities throughout the country, there was a rally today (28 March, 2006) in Birmingham as part of the Pension Mass Strike. More than 1.5 million workers, across more than 9 different unions, went on a 24-hour strike today in protest at the Labour government’s attack on the Local Government Pension Scheme.
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banner&placards
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Banner Theatre playing
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demonstrator in Halloween mask
A few hundred people, with lots of banners and placards, gathered in front of the Council House from 12pm. It was slightly raining but the rally went on smoothly for an hour or so.
It started with the Banner Theatre playing some chilling songs. A half dozen unionist representatives then delivered short, enthusiastic speeches to the cheers of a cheerful crowd. Apart from that, they were relatively quiet… Well, except when some photo journalists, from the Council's balcony, asked them to hold up their placards for a good picture!
From schools to traffic wardens, many services came to a standstill today in what has been described as the "biggest industrial action since the General Strike in 1926." It also coincides with a much bigger general strike in France against the new CPE employment law.