Thursday, August 28, 2008
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Isle of Wight: Council staff in Unison strike

1,000 join strike

By Lorraine Parker - Wednesday, July 16, 2008
1,000 join strike
1,000 join strike
Isle of Wight Council staff on strike outside County Hall hear from Unison representative Mark Chiverton. Picture by JENNIFER BURTON.
LOCAL government employees turned out in force to make their voices heard yesterday (Wednesday) with more action planned today (Thursday).
Around 1,000 employees belonging to Unison staged the strike over pay, causing the closure of some Island schools and disruption to many council services.
Today hundreds rallied outside County Hall with placards, while picket lines were set up outside council offices.
IW Unison representative Mark Chiverton said: “This is an indication of how strongly people feel about the poor pay levels people in local government are getting, considering the responsibility they are carrying.”
Unison had put in a claim for a six per cent rise or 50p an hour, whichever was larger, but received a pay offer of only 2.45 per cent.
At the rally, teaching assistant Karen Colwill, 40, of Station Avenue, Sandown, said: “We are getting more and more responsibility but the pay just stays the same. A lot of people are really struggling to make ends meet, particularly when it comes to food because no one can afford to buy what they used to.”
Some employees said they would be better off not working at all, while others said they had to take on extra jobs to make ends meet.
Steve Milford, who works in the council’s financial department, said: “No one likes taking industrial action but we feel the pay offer this year is just so insulting we must make a stand.”

Schools closed:
All Saints’ CE Primary, Freshwater.
Dover Park Primary, Ryde (nursery open).
Shanklin CE Primary.
Whippingham Primary.
Somerton Middle, Cowes.
Medina House, Newport.

Partially affected:
Bembridge CE Primary (reception class closed).
East Cowes Primary (KS2 closed).
Greenmount Primary, Ryde (reception and Year 1 closed on Thursday only, rest of the school unaffected).
Bishop Lovett Middle, Ryde (Year 5 closed).
Lake Middle (school starts at 9.40am).
Mayfield CE Middle, Ryde (closing at 1.30pm).
Ryde High (closing at 12.30pm).
Sandown High (special education needs students stay at home, rest of school open as normal).
St George’s School, Newport (KS3 closed).

Services closed:
All libraries.
Medina Leisure Centre.
The Waterside swimming pool, Ryde closed until 2.30pm on Thursday.
Referral and Assessment Team (children’s services - emergency service only).
Community Services HQ and Social Services Centres (emergency calls to call centre).
Ryde Help Centre.