PENSIONS STRIKE: Arun District Council staff on strike

A number of angered members from Arun Unison stood their ground outside the Arun District Council Civic Centre, in Maltravers Road, as part of a national walk-out, involving an estimated two million public sector workers, nationwide.

Picketers in the town have been holding flags and posters and handing out leaflets to passing members of the public, informing them about the strike.

Brian Walter, branch secretary for Arun Unison, said: “It’s in defence of the proposed changes of the public sector pension scheme.

“We say the changes are unnecessary. It’s just an additional tax that public sector workers have to fork out. Well we say enough is enough.”

Mr Walter added that the picket line had seen a good deal of response and sympathy from both members of the public and council workers who were not taking part in the strike action.

He said he was uncertain as to what the future would hold, but felt that if negotiations between the government and trade unions fell through, further strikes would follow in the coming months.