Last updated 14:21, Tuesday, 19 August 2008

CLAIMS that only around 500 of the 6,500 Unison members working for Cumbria County Council took part in a two-day pay strike have been challenged by a union chief.

Officials from the county council told the Evening Mail 500 strikers was the estimated number who took part in a nationwide strike over pay on July 16 and 17.

But Sharon Mee, chief Unison official at Cumbria County Council, dismissed the claim, although she admitted union members were worried about problems like the credit crunch.

Mrs Mee said: “We don’t agree with those figures at all, I don’t know where they have got them from.

“We reckon there were at least 2,500 members out on strike.”

Council members who walked out included teaching assistants, which required some schools to close, cleaners, care workers and some library staff.

They were angry about a 2.45 per cent pay offer.

Unison is claiming a rise of six per cent to help compensate members for inflation.

Mrs Mee said: “You never get everybody out but we usually do quite well.

“I think there are a number of things.

“I think people are feeling the credit crunch and don’t want to lose a day’s pay because of that.

“I think there are one or two reasons.”

She said the national strike had proved effective because it had led to a new round of talks with the Local Government Association which are due to start on Friday.

The union hopes it will now get a larger pay offer.

Unison in Cumbria claims it does not have a figure yet for how many of its 15,000-plus members in all county local authorities took part in the strike.

Members crossed picket lines at several town halls including Barrow.

A Cumbria County Council spokesman told the Mail: “The latest figure we have is 500 employees took part in the industrial action, although this could be subject to change as we’re still waiting for final figures from children’s services.”