Unions put on a show of force yesterday with teachers and civil servants across Gwent protesting against plans for their pensions DAVID DEANS, MELISSA JONES and STEF LENZA report.

A TOTAL of 55 schools were closed – affecting more than 22,000 pupils – and at least 4,000 people in Gwent stopped work yesterday over pensions and government cuts in what was billed as the largest strike in the UK since the 1920s.

Civil servants, teachers and lecturers with four unions – one of which has never taken strike action – refused to go to work in action against the UK government proposals on pensions.

Pickets were held across Newport and across Gwent with 200 workers and union activists attending a rally in John Frost Square.

However the government described the turn out as “very low” and branded the decision to go on strike ‘premature’.

The Public and Commercial Services campaigns officer for Wales Darren Williams said 2,000 civil servants stuck to the union’s call to walk out.

“Across Wales we are very happy,” he said.

“I can honestly say its the best supported strike that we have had in the last seven years.”

PCS members at Gwent job centres, Newport’s Office for National Statistics, the Intellectual Property Office, the Ministry of Justice Shared Service Centre, the Department for Work and Pensions contact centre stayed at home.

Union members at Cwmbran’s DWP pension centre, the Roman Legion museum in Caerleon and Big Pit in Blaenavon also took part, which led to the closure of both museums.

Mr Williams claimed one of their best results was seen at the passport office with around 250 members of the 270 who work there staying away.

But that was disputed by the Identity and Passport Service which said only 134 were on strike.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said yesterday: “What today has shown is that the vast majority of hard working public sector employees do not support today’s premature strike and have come into work today.”

National Union of Teacher’s Welsh secretary David Evans said around 1,000 teachers in Gwent did not go to school and said its part of the co-ordinated action – the likes of which not seen since the 1926 General Strike – was solid.

Meanwhile the Association of Teachers and Lecturers’ Jane Lancastle said 1,133 of its members were on strike in the region.

University of Wales, Newport rep Eamonn Kelly claimed more than 100 people were on strike at the university while Newport Coleg Gwent rep Roy McCabe said he believed more than 400 walked out across the college as a whole.

Coleg Gwent admitted some of its senior managers were involved in the strike action, but said it had more than adequate cover.

All campuses were open but there was no teaching taking place, a spokeswoman said, adding that the college sympathised with worker’s concerns but does not agree strike action is the best action to take.

A spokesman for the university said: “All campuses are open as usual and fairly busy for the time of year with most activities continuing as normal.”

A DWP spokesperson said it continued to provide a full service with those scheduled to sign-on being told that they did not have to go into the job centre yesterday.

Newport Passport Office had 120 customers with appointments, a spokesman for the Identity and Passport Service said, which were due to be fulfilled.