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| Public sector strikes hit schools and services around the UK | Public sector strikes hit schools and services around the UK |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are taking part in rallies and marches across the UK as part of a co-ordinated day of action by public service unions. | Hundreds of thousands of people are taking part in rallies and marches across the UK as part of a co-ordinated day of action by public service unions. |
| Teachers, firefighters and council workers are among those who have joined the strike, which follows a series of disputes with the government over pay, pensions, cuts. | |
| Thousands of pupils are missing lessons as many schools are closed. | Thousands of pupils are missing lessons as many schools are closed. |
| The Cabinet Office described the action as "irresponsible". | The Cabinet Office described the action as "irresponsible". |
| Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Frances O'Grady said workers were on strike "to say enough is enough". | Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Frances O'Grady said workers were on strike "to say enough is enough". |
| Bin collections stopped | |
| The action has caused disruption across the country: | |
| No exact figure for the number of people joining the day of action is available, but union leaders said they were expecting more than a million workers to take part. | |
| But a government spokesman said "most" public sector workers had reported for work and "nearly all key public services are being delivered as usual". | But a government spokesman said "most" public sector workers had reported for work and "nearly all key public services are being delivered as usual". |
| It said one fifth of civil servants - fewer than 90,000 workers - were on strike, 717 Jobcentres were unaffected and the "majority" of schools in England and Wales were open. | It said one fifth of civil servants - fewer than 90,000 workers - were on strike, 717 Jobcentres were unaffected and the "majority" of schools in England and Wales were open. |
| The Local Government Association said around 95% of council staff were at work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | The Local Government Association said around 95% of council staff were at work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| At the scene | |
| Sophie Hutchinson at Trafalgar Square | |
| Several thousand demonstrators have marched down London's Regent Street chanting and waving their different coloured banners to a rally in Trafalgar Square. | |
| Workers from right across the public sector are here. They are members of more than six different public sector unions, representing teachers, civil servants, NHS staff, local council employees and firefighters. | |
| All braving the spitting rain and determined to take part in what they insist is their legal right to protest. | |
| The complaint that unites most is over pay. Chants of "fair pay" can be heard from the crowd and the rally began with calls for a living wage, which was met with great applause. | |
| These public sector workers claim that they are not seeing any benefit from a recovering economy and that the pay freeze and 1% cap on a rise which they've seen in the last four years, has left them £4000 worse off than in 2010. | |
| The mood of this protest is good-tempered and relatively upbeat but the demonstrators' message to ministers shows their growing resentment and frustration. | |
| Thousands of people have been taking taken part in marches and rallies across the UK, with an estimated 1,500 people marching through central London and 2,000 people in Brighton, according to police. | Thousands of people have been taking taken part in marches and rallies across the UK, with an estimated 1,500 people marching through central London and 2,000 people in Brighton, according to police. |
| Other large rallies are being held in Birmingham, Newcastle, Swansea and other cities. | Other large rallies are being held in Birmingham, Newcastle, Swansea and other cities. |
| Picket lines have also been mounted outside courts, council offices, job centres and fire stations across the country as well as outside the Houses of Parliament in London. | Picket lines have also been mounted outside courts, council offices, job centres and fire stations across the country as well as outside the Houses of Parliament in London. |
| Pay cap | Pay cap |
| The biggest issue in the dispute is pay, after ministers froze public sector salaries in 2010 and introduced a 1% cap on pay rises in 2012 - which remains in place. | The biggest issue in the dispute is pay, after ministers froze public sector salaries in 2010 and introduced a 1% cap on pay rises in 2012 - which remains in place. |
| Those taking part in the action include: | Those taking part in the action include: |
| For Unite, Unison and the GMB the strike action covers workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not Scotland, while the PCS covers all four nations. The FBU and NUT are England and Wales only. | For Unite, Unison and the GMB the strike action covers workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not Scotland, while the PCS covers all four nations. The FBU and NUT are England and Wales only. |
| 'Failure on all sides' | 'Failure on all sides' |
| Addressing the House of Commons, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said responsibility for the disruption caused by the action lay with union leaders. | Addressing the House of Commons, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said responsibility for the disruption caused by the action lay with union leaders. |
| However, Labour's Michael Dugher said the government should bear "much of the blame", saying strikes represent a "failure on all sides". | However, Labour's Michael Dugher said the government should bear "much of the blame", saying strikes represent a "failure on all sides". |
| Unison general secretary Dave Prentis told BBC Breakfast workers had been left frustrated by pay freezes, adding that "enough is enough". | Unison general secretary Dave Prentis told BBC Breakfast workers had been left frustrated by pay freezes, adding that "enough is enough". |
| "When Cameron brought in the two-year pay freeze, our local government workers, our members, had already had a one-year pay freeze. | "When Cameron brought in the two-year pay freeze, our local government workers, our members, had already had a one-year pay freeze. |
| "So they've had a three-year pay freeze and then a 1% increase when inflation has gone up by something like 20%," he said. | "So they've had a three-year pay freeze and then a 1% increase when inflation has gone up by something like 20%," he said. |
| Decent wage | Decent wage |
| Fire chiefs have urged people to take extra care because of the walkout between 10:00 and 19:00 BST - the 15th round of industrial action in the Fire Brigades Union's long-running row with the government. | Fire chiefs have urged people to take extra care because of the walkout between 10:00 and 19:00 BST - the 15th round of industrial action in the Fire Brigades Union's long-running row with the government. |
| TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Across the public sector workers are on strike today to say enough is enough. | TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Across the public sector workers are on strike today to say enough is enough. |
| "Year after year pay has failed to keep up with the cost of living." | "Year after year pay has failed to keep up with the cost of living." |
| PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the action by public sector workers was about "demonstrating that they've had enough". | PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the action by public sector workers was about "demonstrating that they've had enough". |
| He told BBC Radio 5 live: "If that means that fire stations and schools are closed, and there are delays at airports and that people find that they are inconvenienced, whilst we regret the inconvenience, what we're really trying to say is that everyone depends on our members' services, so start paying them a decent wage." | He told BBC Radio 5 live: "If that means that fire stations and schools are closed, and there are delays at airports and that people find that they are inconvenienced, whilst we regret the inconvenience, what we're really trying to say is that everyone depends on our members' services, so start paying them a decent wage." |
| Ballot turnouts | Ballot turnouts |
| The strikes are going ahead despite the government arguing that they are based on ballots conducted some years ago, with low turnout from union members. | The strikes are going ahead despite the government arguing that they are based on ballots conducted some years ago, with low turnout from union members. |
| Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said the time had come for legislation setting a minimum turnout for a strike ballot, promising this in the next Conservative manifesto. | Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said the time had come for legislation setting a minimum turnout for a strike ballot, promising this in the next Conservative manifesto. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| BBC political correspondent Norman Smith | BBC political correspondent Norman Smith |
| Strikes are meant to cause maximum pain for employers but in this case it doesn't look like this is happening. | Strikes are meant to cause maximum pain for employers but in this case it doesn't look like this is happening. |
| Why? Because far from causing the government much political grief, today's strikes by public sector workers are actually rather politically convenient. | Why? Because far from causing the government much political grief, today's strikes by public sector workers are actually rather politically convenient. |
| Of course, there will be much ministerial condemnation of the disruption caused. | Of course, there will be much ministerial condemnation of the disruption caused. |
| But at the same time Conservative ministers hope popular annoyance will buttress support for their plans for further action to curb the power of unions. | But at the same time Conservative ministers hope popular annoyance will buttress support for their plans for further action to curb the power of unions. |
| In particular, Prime Minister David Cameron is keen to include plans for a strike ballot threshold in his party's next manifesto. | In particular, Prime Minister David Cameron is keen to include plans for a strike ballot threshold in his party's next manifesto. |
| Today's strikes enable ministers to turn up the heat on Labour by pressing them to condemn the industrial action being carried out by their big union supporters. | Today's strikes enable ministers to turn up the heat on Labour by pressing them to condemn the industrial action being carried out by their big union supporters. |
| And they also expect widespread backing in the newspapers for their bullish stance. | And they also expect widespread backing in the newspapers for their bullish stance. |
| So, while in public ministers will appear angered by the strikes, in private they may be a good deal more relaxed. | So, while in public ministers will appear angered by the strikes, in private they may be a good deal more relaxed. |
| Under the current law, a strike can take place if it is backed by a simple majority of those union members who vote - regardless of the level of turnout. | Under the current law, a strike can take place if it is backed by a simple majority of those union members who vote - regardless of the level of turnout. |
| Education Secretary Michael Gove also criticised the NUT's ballot, which was held in 2012 with a turnout of 27%. | Education Secretary Michael Gove also criticised the NUT's ballot, which was held in 2012 with a turnout of 27%. |
| He told BBC Newsnight schoolchildren needed to be protected from what he said was "essentially politically-motivated industrial action". | He told BBC Newsnight schoolchildren needed to be protected from what he said was "essentially politically-motivated industrial action". |
| But the union's general secretary, Christine Blower, told the programme it was "perfectly legitimate". | But the union's general secretary, Christine Blower, told the programme it was "perfectly legitimate". |
| Are you a public sector worker? Will you be on strike? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Strike'. | Are you a public sector worker? Will you be on strike? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Strike'. |