PUBLIC and commercial services workers are gearing up to join hundreds of teachers across the town on the picket line tomorrow.

As schools prepare to close on Thursday, one of the town’s representatives for the public and commercial services union (PCS) has explained that workers from Swindon job centre will be joining them.

The strikes come after Government plans to force civil and public servants to work longer and pay more for less pension. Emma O’Leary, a union representative for PCS Union South West, who has worked at Swindon job centre for two years, said: “We are being forced to pay more into the pensions if they win. We won’t get it back and we will pay more and get less from it. People will have to work longer as well.

“They are trying to up the retirement age to make people work more and get paid less.

Emma said the news had angered a lot of people and people who would not normally strike have been talking about taking part.

“We get paid a lot less than a lot of civil servants but one of the main incentives is the pension. People are talking about going out on strike that wouldn’t normally, it has caused quite a stir,” she said.

“Someone told me today instead of retiring at 60 like in their contract they will be forced to work until they are 68 and lose thousands of pounds. It is daylight robbery.

“A lot of people who have been here for years will be losing £70,000 or £80,000 from their pensions.

The pay policy they have put forward is unacceptable. A lot of people have been on a two year pay freeze now. This is the second year.

“It about the job cuts as well. It is imminent that up to 22 benefits centres may be closing over the next year. These jobs are still going to have to be done.

“That is a way of privatising and getting people into jobs that are not going to be protected by a union.

“They might not be on a pension scheme. It is cheap labour and they don’t have to pay the civil service redundancy.

“Every day in the Department for Work and Pensions we are expected to do more for less.”

The group will be at the job centre staff car park in Princes Street from 7.15am until 9.30am on Thursday.

“There will be at least four union reps. If anyone else decided to come that is brilliant,” she said.

Schools that have so far informed Swindon Council they will either be closed or partially closed are: •Brimble Hill School •Colebrook Infant School •Colebrook Junior School •Commonweal School •Covingham Park Primary School (partially closed) •Crowdy's Hill School •Eastrop Infant School •Eldene Primary School •Even Swindon Primary School •Ferndale Primary School •Grange Junior School •Greendown School •Haydon Wick Primary School •Isambard School •King William Primary School •Kingsdown SchoolLainesmead Primary School •Lethbridge Primary School (partially closed) •Liden Primary School •Moredon Primary School (partially closed) •Mountford Manor Primary School (partially closed) •Nova Hreod School •Nyland School •Nythe Primary School •Oaktree Primary School •Red Oaks Primary School •Riverside Centre (partially closed) •Rodbourne Cheney Primary School (partially closed) •South Marston Primary School •Southfield Junior School •Stratton Education Centre (partially closed) •Toothill Primary School (partially closed) •Uplands SchoolWroughton Infant School (partially closed) All parents are being urged to keep checking the Swindon Council website where the list is updated daily. www.swindon.gov.uk.