SERVICES in Swindon will grind to a halt tomorrow as council workers strike over pay.

The strike will affect all departments including social services, education, planning and environmental health, although emergency services will be provided.

Around 2,000 Swindon council employees will be among 1.2 million public sector workers taking part in a national one-day strike.

Swindon Council has 8,000 employees but not all of them will be striking. Frontline services such as refuse collection will not take place and museums, libraries and multi-storey car parks will be closed for the day.

Sarah Deacon, spokeswoman for Swindon Council, said: "We will know more by the end of today how the services will be affected but there are some things we won't know until tomorrow itself."

The industrial action has been prompted by three public service trade unions, Unison, TGWU and GMB, which have rejected the Government's three per cent pay offer.

They want a six per cent pay rise to bring the minimum wage in local government to £11,170 a year.

Ian Ducat, regional secretary of Unison, said: "Never have so many given so much for so little. The people who work for our local councils are amongst the poorest paid our communities. And, as we all know, they do some of the most important and sometimes the most unpleasant jobs imaginable.

"Yet they are rewarded very poorly indeed only just above the minimum wage in thousands of cases.

"Two thirds of all council workers get less than the Low Pay Unit's threshold for low pay - £13,000 a year and by any standard that's scandalous. Our members know it and that is why they are taking action."

Some services are exempt from the strike, including home care, residential care and the Swindon Services emergency call out team.

Mr Ducat added: "We won't leave anyone in the lurch. If they need care, we will be there for them."

Unison claims that many of the worst-paid workers are women who work as teaching assistants, nursery nurses, dinner ladies, cleaners, care workers or admin staff.

Geraldine Fernades, assistant branch secretary of Swindon UNISON, said: "Women in local government have become the Cinderellas of the public sector. They are the glue that hold local communities together."

SERVICES THAT WILL BE SHUT

Refuse collection in Old Town, Rodbourne Cheney, Highworth, Blunsdon, Stratton, Meadowcroft, West Swindon, Wroughton, Chiseldon, Eldene, Moredon, Park South, Lawns and Walcot

Education centres: Brimble Hill School, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery in Bath Road, Lydiard House, West Swindon Library and Swindon Safer Shop

Council buildings: Wat Tyler House, Premier House, Clarence House and Sanford House. Civic Offices will be open for emergencies only and contact for essential services will available via the switchboard on 463000

Car parks: Spring Gardens and Brunel North multi-storey car parks as well as the Wroughton Park and Ride. The Copse Park and Ride will be open as normal.

SERVICES EXEMPT OR AFFECTED IN LIMITED WAY BY THE ACTION

Social Services: Residential Homes, housing wardens (minimum cover), Homeline, emergency duty team, support workers (personal care), home carers, home carers organisers (minimum service)

Swindon Services- emergency call out (minimum service)

Leisure Centres: Health Hydro, Croft Sports Centre, Link (limited service), Oasis (limited service)

Household Waste recycling: Barnfield Road Centre will be open but have a reduced number of staff on duty

Education Centres: Steam Museum, Swindon Dance, Even Swindon Library