Hundreds march in Cheshire towns on national strike day

Hundreds of public sector workers in Cheshire took to the streets of Crewe and Chester during the national strike.

Members of many of the major unions were involved in the rallies through the town centres in a protest over Government plans to reform pensions.

These pictures show around 500 people at the Chester rally which started at 12pm from opposite the University of Chester’s Riverside Campus, formerly County Hall.

It was followed by a rally in the Chester Guildhall with speakers from the TUC and all the main unions  including the NUT, UNISON, ATL, NASUWT and UCU.

Another 100 protesters gathered on Memorial Square in Crewe to demonstrate, and another parade took place in Warrington.

Around three million workers took action across the UK, which left hundreds of schools closed, public transport at a standstill and other major public facilities shut.

Unions claim the Government is attacking public sector pensions, wanting public sector workers to pay more, work longer and get less.

But Ministers believe the measures are needed to help reduce the huge deficit facing the nation.

A Cheshire Police spokeswoman said: “Officers acknowledged the peaceful and good natured approach of those engaged in the organised protest marches. No arrests were made and there were no incidents of disorder reported.”