Workers were ‘forced to strike’

The Trades Union Council has called a rally for 1pm at the Guildhall today in order to co-ordinate the industrial action being taken locally by thousands of public sector workers.

Workers are today picketing their own places of work including the North West Regional College, Derry City Council, Altnagelvin, Ulsterbus, Translink and Orchard House and all other workplaces where public pension holders and workers are employed.

The striking workers will march from their places of work to the public rally in Guildhall Square where they will hear a number of speeches from members of the Trades Council.

Secretary of the Trades Council Liam Gallagher said: “No-one, least of all low paid workers want to go on strike. They’ve been forced to take this action due to the attack on their pensions.

“We believe it is a bit rich from Francis Maude (Conservative Cabinet Office Minister) advocating cuts when the average public sector worker would have to work three-and-a-half lifetimes to get the £250,000 lump sum and pension he will receive from taxpayers’ money.”

Mr Gallagher accused the Government and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) of using the very low base of private sector pensions to attack the public sector.

“The Government would be better spending its time addressing the chronic state of pensions in the private sector where 75 per cent of workers have made no plans and have no provision for their old age,” he stated.

“The thousands and thousands of workers who contribute towards their pensions in the public sector should be applauded for doing so and not denigrated,” he added.

“We call upon the Londonderry public to support the reasons for the strike and to come out to the rally,” he concluded.