Schools and public services in Bradley Stoke look set to be affected by industrial action being taken tomorrow (Wednesday 30th November) by public sector workers protesting at pension reforms.
Four of the town’s seven schools – Bradley Stoke Community School, Baileys Court Primary School, Meadowbrook Primary School and Wheatfield Primary School – look set to be fully closed for the day.
The other three schools are expected to be partially closed (i.e. for some year groups): Bowsland Green Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School and St Mary’s Primary School (closed only to Years 3 and 6).
Parents are advised to check directly with the schools for further details.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Streetcare helpdesk told us today that refuse collections will be carried out as normal on Wednesday.
Other Council services that could be affected include libraries (Bradley Stoke’s is closed anyway on a Wednesday) and One Stop Shops (such as the one at Patchway), where “waiting times may be longer than usual”.
Elsewhere, services at police station front desks and local hospitals could be affected.
Congestion can be expected in Bristol city centre, where a 10,000-strong protest march is due to depart from College Green at 11:30am, with a rally in Castle Park at about 12:30pm. Park Street will be closed from about 10:45am until about 12 noon, according to the BBC.
More info:
- Industrial Action (South Gloucestershire Council)
- Industrial Action (North Bristol NHS Trust)
- Strikes: How will I be affected? (BBC)
- Public service strikes – how you might be affected? (Directgov)
- Public and private sector pensions compared (BBC)
Disgraceful behaviour – you’ll get no sympathy from the private sector (we’ve had to accept it)! Accept the reforms and get back to serving the public!
Victor – Stop trying to divide and rule, it really is not working. Those in the public sector also support better pensions for our friends in the private sector.
We are trying to defend very small pensions that are being reduced even further. Look at the real figures and stop listening to the putrid fantasy in the Daily Wail and the Murdock press
Monxton – Divide? Rule? How did you translate that? I thought comments were supposed to be on the article, not personal attacks on previous commenters!
As for “very small pensions”, I know all about the salaries, payrises, bonuses, pensions, and “sick leave” and I take offence to the Marxist comments.
I’m still happy that the actions taken today will not make one iota of difference to the outcome! The reforms will happen! Everyone should pay their share!
Earthlings, this strike is the fault of the government not the public sector workers who are under threat. The average pension for the public sector is under £4,000 per year. I’m sure it wouldn’t be difficult to find out what the average Overloard’s (sorry MP’s) pension is and what they pay for it.
The Trade Unions are for once doing what they’re supposed to do, represent their workers. Unfortunately many of those employed in the private sector decided that unions were a waste of time and didn’t join them and so they no longer exist. That’s why the private sector have poor salaries and pensions. Don’t blame the public sector.
My Storm Troopers tried to get an increase in their wages and I told them there was no more money ’cause I’d spent it on a Death Star. they wern’t happy, but because I threatened to have them all executed they stopped moaning. Got that advice from the Daily Mail after phone hacking the editor.
May the Force not be with you
Daft Vader – Sorry but I think you must be talking about planet Tatooine, the private sector on Earth have good salaries and good pensions but have to pay for them!
“Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong.”
Everyone can have better pensions if they want. You just need to pay more for them now.
I’m not really sure what the strikers are campaigning for – to work longer and pay less, to work the same and pay more, or to work the same, pay the same and take a smaller return? The choice is between one of those three (as it has been in the private sector). Can anyone clarify?
Bert,
You make a good point, as a Civil Servant who didn’t strike, I think there is a lack of realisation among of lot of my fellows just how cold it is in the real world.
Yes we are being asked to pay more, yes we are being asked to work a little longer and yes we will get less when we do retire, but the big point is we will get something, a lot of my older private sector friends are in a really bad way, as they approach what they hoped would be there retirement, they are looking at another 10 or 15 years because they did not start from 20 years old with a pension.
Quite frankly we Civil Servants are very lucky and need to accept we cannot live in the past.
The information regarding school closures on the day of industrial action is incorrect. In fact, staff at Holy Trinity decided not to strike and the school was fully open to all pupils. Thank you, in advance, for making the correction.
@Jane Johns, The information in the article was based on data published by South Gloucestershire Council on the day prior to the strike. Thank you for pointing out that things panned out differently on the day.
Thank you for the correction. It seemed to my staff that the majority of the publicity was focussed on the schools and other public sector services that DID strike, but no credit was given to those who took the equally difficult decision NOT to take action. I feel privileged to work with a group of people who put the needs of the children and parents above their own, despite very real concerns about an uncertain future in retirement.