Public Sector Day of Action 30th June 2011

Today saw mass protests around Birmingham, culminating in a rally in Victoria Square and a march around the city where public sector workers showed their objection to changes to contracts, redundancies and pension reforms.

Among those protesting, I spoke to Library Workers dismayed by the council's decision to categorise them as generic council workers who could be called upon to work in any council function and not in the work for which they had experience and training.


This contract change, nicknamed the 'Martini Contract' after the old Martini advertising slogan which read "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", is of great concern to many of the workers I spoke to who also expressed dismay at the removal of overtime/weekend payments, revised hours which could include Sundays and it being against the terms of the contract to get a second job.


Phillipa Hands who is a library steward described how her pay had only increased £3,000 over 21 years which in real terms amounts to a pay cut.

Below are a series of audio interviews with protesters, recorded in Victoria Square.