Vital public services halted as council strike gets underway

COUNCIL services came to a standstill today in a worker strike due to continue until midnight tomorrow. Bin men, traffic wardens, noise patrol officers and teaching assistants were some of the union strikers taking part across Camden, Barnet, Westminster

COUNCIL services came to a standstill today in a worker strike due to continue until midnight tomorrow.

Bin men, traffic wardens, noise patrol officers and teaching assistants were some of the union strikers taking part across Camden, Barnet, Westminster and Haringey today (Wednesday).

Several schools across the boroughs have been forced to close including Haverstock and Frank Barnes in Camden and Brookland Primary School in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

South Camden Community School will also have a partial closure over today and tomorrow.

Financial services in all four councils will be unavailable as will staff to deal with council tax, planning or environmental health issues.

Pickets appeared across the area from the early hours of this morning.

Camden Unison Schools Convener Hugo Pierre told the Ham&High today: "The strike is going really well and we have lots of people out supporting us on the picket."

Laura Butterfield from the Westminster branch said: "People are really struggling at the moment and are fed up. They are deadly serious about getting them to increase pay levels this time."

The local government workers are protesting over their annual pay increase which is only due to go up by 2.45 per cent and therefore less than inflation.

For updates on services out of action keep checking www.hamhigh.co.uk.