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Around the UK, have thousands of people onto the streets in protest against the proposed changes to the pensions of public employees

Merthyr Tydfil

The protesters said they hoped this will be the first of a series of action days.

It was obvious from the number of youngsters in the skate park and McDonald's on the edge of town that most of the area's schools had not opened fully or at all.

Garhard Williams, head secretary of the NUT, said the majority of its members were keen to strike. "I've seen it on the mother 's on-line computer, which saw rent them there. It was a breeze, then \."

Williams, 43, a chemistry and physics teacher at Cyfarthfa High School in Merthyr, said rising costs of living meant that he struggle to make ends meet. His daughter will go to university in the vicinity of Newport, rather than beyond, because they can not afford to live at home and the family can go on vacation this summer. According to the GROOVE calculator, Williams is more than six years have to work longer and pay ? 88 extra per month for his pension.

The Scottish parliament and the Scottish government's headquarters in Edinburgh, Faslane nuclear submarine base, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, museums and job centres were all affected by the strike, although there was little reported impact on the public.

Joy Dunn, political officer for the PCS union in Scotland said they believed 90% of members in Scotland took part in the strike. Over a thousand PCS members attended a rally in central Glasgow at noon.

Cardiff

About 600 people gathered in Sophia Gardens in Cardiff before making their way through the city centre to Cathays Park on an organised march at 12.30pm.

Edmund keys, a member of the University College Union at Cardiff University said: "It 'sa small speakers' area and the people standing around, especially chat - talk about their own retirement - including a few policemen '.

Keys said it can not control a large police presence with four policemen on horses to the masses - which were made up of members of the UCU, NUT and ATL. Many members brought their children.

"Everyone has their support of the members present and the Education Sector The majority of universities are already out -. So we have the support over the summer to build and see more strikes will take place in September expect.