“This is happening all over the west country. This is a movement that is gathering momentum,” Nigel Costley of the South West TUC told the thousands of strikers, demonstrators and activists at Castle Park in Bristol.
“The truth will out,” he said.
“I pay tribute to those reps and organisers who have organised this day of action today.
“This is a windfall tax on public sector workers instead of a bonus levy on the bankers.
He urged private sector workers to back the action, saying: “We’ve got to organise private sector workers and this is a movement that is going to grow.”