LOW-paid Social Services workers took part in their first one-day strike in 23 years in Petersfield on Wednesday, in opposition to the ÔderisoryÕ three per cent pay rise they have been offered by their county council employers.

For many this could be a rise of as little as 15p an hour.

Unison union members from Tilbrook House, Social ServicesÕ Petersfield office, and one member from Petersfield Library took part in the strike.

Their demands are for a flat- rate increse of £1,750 to give a minimum wage of £11,017, or a 6 per cent increase - whichever of the two is higher.

All East Hampshire District Council workers were at their posts on Wednesday.

ÒEHDC was not involved because we opted out of the national pay negotiations several years ago and we now have locally-agreed supplements,Ó said EHDC spokesperson Margaret Kemp.

A spokesperson at Petersfield Library said: ÒWe have one union member on strike, but more people will join because of this industrial action.Ó

The pickets in Petersfield, along with those in Bordon and Alton, joined local government employees across the country, in taking the industrial action.

According to senior steward for the Transport & General Workers Union (T&G), Richard Bambridge, the decision to take industrial action followed a ballot of the three local government unions - T&G, Unison and the GMB, which showed a strong majority in favour of standing out for a six per cent pay rise and a minimum wage of £11,000.

The employersÕ ÒfinalÓ offer of three per cent had been rejected in an earlier consultative ballot of members, and they had refused to enter into further negotiations.

The one-day strike affected services across the board. In Alton pickets were out at HCC Day Services in Chawton Park Road and at Social Services HQ at Park House - the base for social workers, occupational therapists and clerical staff serving the Alton, Ropley, Liss, Grayshott, Bordon/Whitehill and Liphook area.

Social Services staff were running an emergency service, however, with the vulnerable a priority - child care, mental health and care for the elderly, with staff at HCC-run homes such as Marlfield and Whitedown Special School continuing to work.

Other areas hit by strike action included home care, some schools, which were closed due to action by caretaking staff, environmental health, housing, planning, transport, including traffic wardens, refuse collection, catering and cleaning.

The workers said they took the action to highlight the need for local government to invest in fair pay in order to deliver quality local services.

ÒTwo thirds of the local government workforce earn less than the average allowance paid to council leaders, which is £12,403,Ó pointed out Mr Bambridge.