Bedminster schools closed by strike action

By Hannah2009 | Thursday, June 30, 2011, 10:10

Many of Bedminster's schools are partially or completely closed today as teachers join civil servants in strikes over planned changes to their pensions.

St Mary Redcliffe is one of the primary schools in Bedminster affected by the strike over pensions

The action by the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers means that many families have had to make emergency childcare arrangements for their children.

In and around Bedminster, St Mary Redcliffe, Victoria Park, Ashton Gate, Luckwell and Parson Street schools are among the primary schools that are fully or partially closed today. Ashton Park and Bedminster Down secondary schools are also closed.

A rally and mass march has been planned by the unions to support the strikers in the city centre today. Around 5,000 teachers and civil servants are expected to take part in the rally, which will start from College Green at 11am.

Bristol City Council has said that the decision to close was taken by each school individually, but that other services such as rubbish collection should not be affected.

You can view a list of the affected schools and further details here.

Do you support the strikes?

The strikes have been called over spending cuts and proposed changes to public sector pensions which in future would see workers contributing up to 3.2 per cent more to their own pensions, retiring later (in line with the state pension age) and their pensions being based on a salary averaged out over the course of their careers, rather than being paid on a final salary basis. Unions say these measures will erode the value of public sector pensions.

Are you taking part in the strikes today or have you been affected by the strikes? If you work in the private sector, do you sympathise with public sector workers facing changes to their pensions?

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Comments

Public sector is crippling our economy and needs to be smashed into a million pieces.

By Aw1976 at 21:33 on 30/06/11
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Are they deaf, have they not heard 'there is no money left'. Everyone agrees that something has to be done about the debt butm do not want it taken out of their pockets. Public sector have been very lucky in the past compared with the private sector but hello times they are a changing

By Susie710 at 20:34 on 30/06/11
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I'm rather tired of hearing the 'it's not a race to the bottom' line from the unions but think you have to admit they have a point. However, private sector employees do not have the luxury of striking or perhaps they too could have done something about the damage inflicted on their pension schemes just a few years ago by the last government.

By Gambit72 at 16:37 on 30/06/11
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No I don't support the strikes. What's happening to public sector pensions isn't nice but it's long overdue. Why should private sector employees with no hope of ever having a pension, never mind a decent pension they could actually live off, pay the pensions of public sector workers? The public sector needs to get real. This is how the rest of us have been living for years. Having to work to 68 before they can claim a pension! Ahhh poor things, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US. Public sector benefits used to be the compensation for a lower than average wage, well not any longer, the wages are much better in the public sector as well as the benefits. I'd be sitting happy and keeping quiet if I was lucky enough to have a public sector job!

By Mrs_W2009 at 11:27 on 30/06/11
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