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Workers at Wilmslow's Information Commissioner's Office showed their determination to block attacks on their pay and pensions as they joined the national public sector workers' strike.

Campaigning over the Government's attempts to make them 'pay more, work longer and get less in retirement', workers stood outside the office, on Water Lane, from 7am in protest.

Staff, who administer and enforce the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts, are unhappy about the Government's overhaul of public sector pensions which will see them increased in line with inflation each year so that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used and not the Retail Price Index (RPI).

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) which represents civil and public servants in central government joined other civil servants, teachers and lecturers up and down the country who will be affected by the changes.

Union branch secretary Paddy Dillon, 27, said only around 50 of the 300 workers at the Information Commissioner's Office broke the picket line at the 24 hour walkout today (June 30).

He said: "It shows the strength of feeling among the staff on this issue. We have been very well supported.

"We have had a two year pay freeze with high inflation which is effectively a pay cut. Now we are being told we will have to almost double our pension contribution which is equivalent to an extra week's pay a year that many of us just can't afford, and we will have to work longer.

"it's no wonder people are striking over this. Many families simply cannot afford it."

Court and job centre staff in Macclesfield joined public sector workers around the country today for the strike.
Macclesfield County and Macclesfield Magistrates courts are shut and the Job Centre Plus is running a limited service, with all people who were due to sign on told not to come in.

The workers are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) which is holding strikes to protect pensions, jobs and pay.

They join around 750,000 public sector workers on picket lines around the country in protest to pension reform plans by the Government which says funds are stretched as life expectancy increases.

At Macclesfield County Court, on Park Green, 12 members are on strike and another manager had to brought in from Chester to open the door, but there is no service.

Twenty members striked at Macclesfield Magistrates court which made it impossible to open the court.  The court will open as usual on tomorrow (Friday).

Macclesfield court staff - who will pay on average £50 extra for their pensions if reforms go ahead - joined the 2,000 strong union march in Liverpool.

Rob Tweedie, secretary for the Cheshire and Merseyside Ministry of Justice branch of the PCS, marched with the court staff.

He said: "The overwhelming public support for what we are doing far outweighs what expected.

"The attack on pensions was the final straw. It's completely unacceptable and people just can't afford it."

Peter Middleman, North West regional secretary for the PCS, said: "It's about pensions, the pay freeze and the impact on public sector services.

"Pensions are hitting the headlines and our members are angry they have to pay more, work longer and get less when they eventually retire.

"Public support is good, 78 per cent of people think that it's wrong public sector workers should pay for a crisis in the economy caused by fat cats in the City of London.

"In many months of negotiations we have met nothing but hostility and belligerence on behalf of the employer.

"There will be more industrial action over the summer."

A notice on the door at Job Centre Plus on King Edward Street apologised for delays in service and said the centre would be closed from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

A DWP spokesman said: "People who would normally have come in to sign on were told they did not need to come in but everyone will still get their payments.

"People can still do job searches online and we will deal with face to face meetings as they come in."

The DSA driving test centre on Bridge Street was unaffected by strikes.

The six primary schools closed due to strikes are Adlington, Ashgrove, Prestbury, Ivy Bank, Lower Park and St John the Evangelist.

Schools partially closed are Hollin Hey Primary, Hurdsfield Primary, Rainow Primary, All Hallows, Fallibroome High School, Poynton High School and Tytherington High School.

In Wilmslow Dean Oaks, Nether Alderley and Wilmslow Grange primaries are closed and Ashdene is partially closed.