PUBLIC sector workers were out in force across West Somerset on Tuesday with many taking to the picket line in a bid to protect their pensions. A one day strike called by UNISON and 11 other trade unions was billed, nationally, as the biggest industrial protest in 80 years and saw local government workers, police and school support staff and many others walking out of work. Locally, the action forced the closure of the West Somerset Community College in Minehead where the 1,000-plus pupils had an unexpected day off because of the absence of so many support staff. West Somerset District Council ran on a skeleton staff with strikers picketing outside the authority's offices in Williton and Minehead. Janet Grieve, spokesman for the council's UNISON members, said around 82 of the 130 staff were members. "We had a 95 per cent turn-out of our membership, which was very good. "We were very pleased with the response. Nobody likes to lose a day's pay but if it means not losing out on your pension, it's worth it." The council's chief executive Tim Howes said in a statement that although essential services, such as refuse collection and recycling, were unaffected, there l Continued on page 2