Labour councillors Diane Hind and Kevin Hind have sent a message of support to UNISON members on strike today. The councillors from St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Bury St Edmunds Town Council, respectively, said:
“We are local Labour councillors and we are both very disappointed with the arrogance of the coalition government who have failed to negotiate properly with trade unions on public sector pensions.
“They are also using shameful divide-and-rule tactics to turn private and public sector workers against each other, rather than trying to protect and improve pension schemes for all workers.
“The latest news about loss of more public sector jobs is a disgrace, ordinary working people are being made to pay for a national debt which was not their fault.
“We wish UNISON and the other unions success and hope that following industrial action the government will begin real and meaningful negotiations.
“We strongly oppose any attempt by the government to use these strikes as a justification for the tightening of trade union laws.”