UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has stressed that members have turned out “in force” for the strike today and that the “massive show of solidarity” from the members and the public alike shows that 1% is just “not enough”.
After a busy round of media interviews, the general secretary said: “Taking strike action today has been a tough decision for local government workers and school support staff, but our members have turned out in force. The picket lines were out early across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in a massive show of solidarity, sending a clear message that 1% is not enough.
“I got my first glimpse of that from the top of UNISON’s open top bus as we went round London this morning. And I am pleased to say that there was a lot of support not only from the other unions but from the public as well.
“Before that, I was in Millbank putting our case for a fair deal in a series of TV and radio interviews arguing that members cannot afford to take another real terms cut in their pay.
“It is disgrace that more than 400,000 local government and school support workers are paid less than the living wage and one million earn less than the Coalition’s low-pay threshold of £21,000.
“That is why the strike today is so important and why members need to show their commitment by turning up at the rallies and marches taking place across every region.”
Dave then took the train to Birmingham to take part in a big joint union rally.
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