MORE than 8,500 public sector workers “angry and anxious” over planned changes to pensions have taken part in one of the biggest protests the North East has seen in recent years.
Thousands of public workers walked two miles from Gateshead Civic Centre to Newcastle’s Spillers Wharf .
The marchers were still on the south side of the River Tyne when the front part of the demonstration had crossed the Swing Bridge and was well past the law courts on Newcastle Quayside, which was closed because of industrial action.
The Northern TUC had predicted a smaller turnout but the Chancellor’s announcement that public sector pay could be reduced in the North East and wage rises capped at 1% galvanised hundreds into action.
TUC regional secretary Kevin Rowan said: “I am quite overwhelmed by the strength of feeling among public sector workers. The message to the Government is simple: people feel angry and anxious about this reckless attempt to make them pay more into pensions, work longer and get less when they retire.”
Firefighters and members of the Royal College of Nursing who are not on strike also joined the strike to show solidarity.
One nurse, who did not want to give her name, said: “My children are grown up and work in the public sector and I am here for them. What kind of future will they have if changes are made to their pensions?”
Northumbria Police said the march passed without incident.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Ashman said: “Northumbria Police fully supports the right to peaceful protest and I have nothing but praise for those who took part.”
The march took 25 minutes to arrive at a car park in Spillers Wharf where union speakers, including RMT union general secretary Bob Crow, drove an uncompromising message home to an appreciative audience.
Durham County Council refuse collector David Clegg said: “I signed up to this pension 22 years ago and now they want to take it away.”
Kevin McHugh, a member of the Public and Commercial Services Union who works at Revenue and Customs at Longbenton, said: “We will have more strikes if necessary.”
Later this month the trade unions will assess the impact of the strike and decide on their next move, though many on Tyneside yesterday were talking of further strikes next year. Nexus worker John Eagle joined colleagues on the picket line at South Gosforth Metro station, which started at 4.30am.
The 52-year-old from Gateshead said: “Our fight isn’t with Nexus, the fight is with the Government. I think the Government are going to play hardball but they can’t ignore a national dispute that takes two million people on to the streets that aren’t necessarily politically active. If the Government don’t listen it’s going to backfire on them.”
