Schools out as Gwent comes to a halt

Only a handful of schools opened across the county.

Head of public service union UNISON, Paul O'Shea, said the huge number of workers in Gwent were among the 80,000 across Wales who refused to work.

Rubbish bags remained uncollected and civic offices practically ground to a halt as workers protested over changes to the local government pension scheme, which would see workers retire at 65 instead of 60.

The dispute centres on the so-called Rule 85, which lets staff retire at 60 if their age, plus years worked, equals 85 or more.

The government wants to scrap the rule, arguing that it will become illegal under European age discrimination laws, although unions dispute this.

Bill King, UNISON's Wales convenor, said this morning: "At the moment it looks extremely good. We have got pickets outside County Hall and Police HQ.

"At the moment nobody is crossing. They are coming up to the line, we are explaining the position, and they are going away again. Nobody is entering County Hall. It's like a desert."

Hundreds of Gwent police civilian staff are also on strike. A recorded message on the force's phone lines urges people to leave non-emergency calls until tomorrow.

Some police officers are staffing the emergency phone lines.

Linda Sweet, branch secretary of UNISON's Gwent police branch said: "We are getting a lot of support from the public and the police this morning.

"A few people have gone through the lines but the majority of the staff are just not here."

All 800 civilian staff working for Gwent Police are eligible to strike today, as non-union members who have access to a union scheme are also eligible.

The largest union, UNISON, has 500 members within Gwent Police. The strike, co-ordinated by UNISON member Irene Hunt, picketed as many Gwent police stations as possible throughout the day, with permanent pickets at police HQ in Croesyceiliog and Newport Central.

Mrs Sweet added: "It's unusual for police staff to go out on strike, and a lot of staff are not happy about having to do it. We have drawn up a protocol with the force, who are very supportive. Our fight is not with them, but the government."

And Gwent Police warned motorists not to be encouraged to park illegally because some traffic wardens were expected to take part in the strikes.

Deputy Chief Constable Mick Gianassi said: "Some traffic wardens may be members of trade unions and may wish to take industrial action.

"This is not an opportunity for members of the public to park illegally. Police officers and PCSOs have powers to enforce traffic offences under traffic legislation and will do so if necessary."

All of the Gwent councils assured residents meals-on-wheels services were to run as normal today.

CCTV operations were also unaffected, with cameras monitoring major towns as normal. In Newport, today's refuse collections are postponed until Saturday and the civic amenity site was closed.

Residents were denied access to leisure centres and libraries, and two major car parks in the city, Capital and Park Square, did not open.

Tredegar Park, Belle Vue Park and Beechwood Park were also locked up last night and will not re-open until tomorrow.

A number of council premises were closed to the public, including the Corn Exchange, Brynglas adult training centre, Baneswell day centre, Ringwood day centre, Brynglas family centre and Kensington Court day centre. Bettws and Alway day nurseries were also shut.

Home care services were in operation but were reduced.

The strikes also hit funeral arrangements in the city. Adrian Powis, business manager at TJ Davies and Sons funeral directors, Newport, said: "It's affecting us tremendously. We can't do any burials in Newport, or cremations, so a lot of the staff are going to be sat round with nothing to do.

"We had enough notice to rearrange funerals booked for today."

The Riverfront theatre was open as usual.

In Torfaen, traders at Pontypool market pulled out of plans to stage a sit-in protest over the market's closure.

The market was closed by Torfaen council as the strike meant the superintendent responsible for the building, as well as cleaners and other operatives, were not available. Traders had considered refusing to move from their stalls after trading yesterday, but decided not to carry out the threat because of the short notice.

But Phil Joliffe, 48, who has run a delicatessen in the market for five years, warned the traders will take action if a future strike closes the market.

"I will have lost around £250 today. We will have to do something drastic to make a stand if this happens again."

Most schools closed for the day. Edward Jones, head teacher of Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran Junior School placed "closed" signs on the school gates yesterday afternoon as the school closed its doors to pupils.

Teachers not involved in the strikes were at the school, but the school was among the vast majority in the area closed on health and safety grounds after the walkout by caretakers, canteen staff and cleaners.

Rubbish collections did not take place, and collections throughout the rest of the week are to be a day later than normal.

Leisure centres and civic offices closed and there were no burials held at Panteg cemetery today. Normal service will resume on Thursday.

Greenmeadow Community Farm, in Cwmbran, was also closed to visitors, although an exemption was agreed for a council officer to feed the animals.