HARROW COUNCIL says it is 'making every effort' to keep strike disruption to a minimum today, as dozens of schools and local services shut down.
The authority has made a statement on its website surrounding the strike action, which is taking place up and down the country in response to Government proposals to change public sector pension schemes.
Approximately 70 UNISON members are on strike at Northwick Park Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospitals with management reporting everything running as normal except for a reduced physiotherapy department and laboratory services for GPs.
The majority of lecturers at Harrow College have withdrawn their labour, including University and College Union branch chairman Steve Hayward, who is leading a picket line outside the college's Harrow on the Hill Campus in Lowlands Road, Harrow.
He said: "It's part of a national day of action for the public sector pensions dispute.
"The government wants to raise our contributions by 50 per cent, defer the retirement age and give us less pensions.
"It's 'Pay more, work longer, get less' and our members are very angry and feel betrayed."
Harrow Council's UNISON members are staging a mock funeral complete with a coffin and the Grim Reaper outside Harrow Civic Centre in Station Road, Harrow, to symbolise "the death of the public sector pension".
There are no waste or recycling collections in Harrow today and the council has apologised for any inconvenience.
Residents who normally have a collection on a Wednesday are being asked to leave their bins out with the council aiming to collect them as soon as possible.
The Civic Amenity Site (tip) is also closed and is likely to be very busy on Thursday and Friday.
Due to the closure of Grange Primary School, the Grange Children's Centre will not open today, but all other children's centres are open.
In terms of adult social care, the meals on wheels services will be operating normally today, but the Special Needs Transport Service will be closed. The council says that all service users have been notified.
The Civic Centre Library and Gayton Library is open as normal, with all other branch libraries always closing on Wednesdays.
All leisure centres are open as normal today.
At the time the council posted the update, 22 schools had confirmed they would be closed.
The council said: "Other schools will also be affected and may be closed or part closed. Schools have notified parents of any changes to their normal day and parents should keep checking the latest situation with their child's school."
The schools with confirmed closure are:
Salvatorian College
Aylward Primary School
Cannon Lane First School (4-7 years)
Earlsmead Primary School
Glebe Primary School
Grange Primary School
Heathland School
Krishna-Avanti Primary School
Marlborough Primary School
Roxeth Primary School
St.Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
St.George's Primary Catholic School, Harrow
St.Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Stanburn First School 4-7 years
Stanburn Junior School
Vaughan Primary School
Weald Infant and Nursery School
Welldon Park Junior School
West Lodge Primary School
Alexandra School
Kingsley High School
Woodlands School
Anyone wanting to find out more can visit www.harrow.gov.uk
Are you taking part in the strike action today? What do you think about the strikes and how do they affect you?
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