Disruption as South Ayrshire public sector workers go on strike.

Dec 2 2011 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

AROUND 4000 public sector workers across South Ayrshire walked out on strike this week.

The council and health workers are protesting against government pension reform plans.

It means that schools and libraries are closed, university lectures are cancelled, hospital appointments have been postponed and bin collections delayed.

There have been picket lines at a variety of council owned buildings, including Burns House, Ayr Town Hall, Ayr Academy, John Pollock Centre, many schools and the waste management depot at Walker Road.

Ayr, Ailsa and Biggart Hospital’s have also had scores of health workers forming picket lines.

Paul Arkison, organiser for the GMB union, which represents hundreds of South Ayrshire council workers, said: “We acknowledge this will cause difficulty to families and residents in South Ayrshire, but this action is a last resort for our members who will sacrifice a day's pay in the run up to Christmas to protest at their meagre pensions being devalued by the millionaires who sit in the Westminster Government.”

On Tuesday, Unison revealed research showing that payments into local government pension funds in Scotland are £299.944 million more than being paid out to pensioners.

This figure does not include income to the pension funds from investments.

Nailing the myth pushed by UK ministers that more money is needed for public sector pensions.

Unison South Ayrshire spokesman Campbell Peden said: “These figures show that public sector pension funds are not just healthy – but valuable contributors to the economy – funding much needed investment.

“The current attacks on both pensions and on public sector employment will be bad for the schemes – and in the long run bad for the economy.

“The UK Government won’t be putting any of the money they raise or save from stealing from pensions into the schemes – just using it to pay back debt run up to bail out their friends the bankers – it’s not justifiable or fair and people won’t stand for it.”

Neil Feggans, town planner was on a picket line at Burns House.

He said: “This was not an easy decision. It's not easy to stand here and hand leaflets to colleagues you work with every day.

“We're striking because the conditions of service have eroded over the last three or four years.

“This is a show of our strength and to show our concern at the changes.

“Obviously our pensions are a concern, we're working longer and we're being paid less.

“There's constant restructuring going on, staff numbers are falling every year.”