Picket lines protest goes on

Council workers in Shropshire today returned to the picket lines for the second day of a 48-hour walk-out in a bitter row over below inflation pay offers.Schools, libraries and other local authority services in the county were once again hit by the strike action called by the Unison and Unite unions.

They have warned further industrial action could be held unless the Government increases a 2.45 per cent pay offer.

The Local Government Association has insisted the offer was final and said any further increase would lead to a rise in council taxes or a cut in services.

The two sides have clashed over how many workers supported the stoppage with employers maintaining only 100,000 had taken action, representing just eight per cent of the total workforce.

In Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Council estimated less than six per cent of its staff had supported the strike.

But Jonathan Sedgebeer, Unison's Telford branch secretary, today accused the council of "grossly underestimating" the situation.

The picket lines were back up at five borough council locations in Telford.

Mr Sedgebeer said: "It's going fine. We have got better support than yesterday."

Patricia Wilson, Unison's Shropshire branch secretary, added: "Industrial action is a last resort and we are not a militant branch in Shropshire but after years and years of below inflation pay increases we cannot take it any more."

Oswestry Borough Council say there were no picket lines yesterday and it would continue to be service as normal today.