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| City hit by council staff walkout | City hit by council staff walkout |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| About 3,000 striking council workers in Birmingham have held a rally in the city centre. | About 3,000 striking council workers in Birmingham have held a rally in the city centre. |
| They gathered outside the Town Hall after their walkout led to the closure of more than 120 schools and dozens of libraries and leisure centres. | They gathered outside the Town Hall after their walkout led to the closure of more than 120 schools and dozens of libraries and leisure centres. |
| Staff at the city council are angry at plans to re-structure wages among some of the 55,000 employees. | Staff at the city council are angry at plans to re-structure wages among some of the 55,000 employees. |
| More than 4,000 staff face a wage cut - with some claiming it could slash their pay by up to £18,000 a year. | More than 4,000 staff face a wage cut - with some claiming it could slash their pay by up to £18,000 a year. |
| The row flared up after council leaders proposed the new contracts, which are designed to deliver equal pay to men and women. | The row flared up after council leaders proposed the new contracts, which are designed to deliver equal pay to men and women. |
| The rally, attended by thousands of workers carrying placards, took place at lunchtime after staff across the city had brought some services to a standstill with scores of picket lines outside schools, depots and offices. | The rally, attended by thousands of workers carrying placards, took place at lunchtime after staff across the city had brought some services to a standstill with scores of picket lines outside schools, depots and offices. |
| Residential homes and care services have not been affected by the strike and teachers had not taken part in the stoppage , the council said. | Residential homes and care services have not been affected by the strike and teachers had not taken part in the stoppage , the council said. |
| Pickets were being held at council premises across the city | Pickets were being held at council premises across the city |
| The authority, the biggest unitary authority in the UK, said it was legally obliged to review services and claims 45% of the workers will get a "considerable increase". | The authority, the biggest unitary authority in the UK, said it was legally obliged to review services and claims 45% of the workers will get a "considerable increase". |
| But the unions said some council workers could lose thousands of pounds under the plans and that there is a possibility of further strikes. | But the unions said some council workers could lose thousands of pounds under the plans and that there is a possibility of further strikes. |
| Tuesday's action began in the early hours, with more than 80 people on one picket line in Kings Norton from about 0600 GMT. | Tuesday's action began in the early hours, with more than 80 people on one picket line in Kings Norton from about 0600 GMT. |
| As caretakers and teaching assistants did not turn up for work, schools failed to open, with more than 120 shut out of about 450 in the city. | |
| More than 20 neighbourhood offices were closed, along with 20 libraries and 10 leisure centres. | More than 20 neighbourhood offices were closed, along with 20 libraries and 10 leisure centres. |
| Bin collections were also affected, although the council has asked people to still put rubbish out in the hope of clearing the backlog in the next couple of days. | Bin collections were also affected, although the council has asked people to still put rubbish out in the hope of clearing the backlog in the next couple of days. |
| However, last week refuse collectors and street cleaners agreed to a new deal which gave them extra wages in return for the scrapping of a bonus payments. | However, last week refuse collectors and street cleaners agreed to a new deal which gave them extra wages in return for the scrapping of a bonus payments. |
| 'Stand tall' | 'Stand tall' |
| Caroline Johnston, assistant branch secretary for the Birmingham branch of Unison, was greeted with rapturous applause, when she announced at the city centre rally that action had forced the closures. | Caroline Johnston, assistant branch secretary for the Birmingham branch of Unison, was greeted with rapturous applause, when she announced at the city centre rally that action had forced the closures. |
| She said: "We should be very proud of our unity today. We can return to work tomorrow and stand tall and proud. | She said: "We should be very proud of our unity today. We can return to work tomorrow and stand tall and proud. |
| "If the council don't come back, we will be calling more action." | "If the council don't come back, we will be calling more action." |
| Council workers say the new pay bands for staff are unfair | Council workers say the new pay bands for staff are unfair |
| The council's chief executive, Stephen Hughes, apologised for the inconvenience, but said the offer was "very generous" and described the strike as "entirely unnecessary". | The council's chief executive, Stephen Hughes, apologised for the inconvenience, but said the offer was "very generous" and described the strike as "entirely unnecessary". |
| He said: "Many of the issues they've raised we believe we can come to a resolution on. | He said: "Many of the issues they've raised we believe we can come to a resolution on. |
| "So we very much regret the fact they've decided to go ahead and take industrial action anyway. | "So we very much regret the fact they've decided to go ahead and take industrial action anyway. |
| "The agreement we came to (with) the refuse collectors and street cleaners last week was an indication of the way in which we're willing to be flexible. | "The agreement we came to (with) the refuse collectors and street cleaners last week was an indication of the way in which we're willing to be flexible. |
| "We are going to concentrate on ensuring that all essential services are maintained and do whatever we can to recover later in the week from any backlogs that occur." | "We are going to concentrate on ensuring that all essential services are maintained and do whatever we can to recover later in the week from any backlogs that occur." |
| Members of Unison, Unite, the GMB and the construction workers union Ucatt are taking part in the strike. | Members of Unison, Unite, the GMB and the construction workers union Ucatt are taking part in the strike. |
| Joining the picket line outside the town hall was cook Trevolin Newell, who has worked for the council for 19 years. She said: "I have always been angry about our wages because we have been at the bottom of the pile, but we have never gone this far before." | Joining the picket line outside the town hall was cook Trevolin Newell, who has worked for the council for 19 years. She said: "I have always been angry about our wages because we have been at the bottom of the pile, but we have never gone this far before." |