FOUR-FIFTHS of schools across East Lancashire were closed today due to the teachers' strike over pensions.

Just 70 out of 339 East Lancashire schools were fully open as the industrial action hit hard.

62 of those schools which opened were in Lancashire County Council - Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale - with 8 in Blackburn with Darwen.

This morning, teachers and lecturers gathered on picket lines from 7.30am.

In Blackburn, more than 100 Blackburn with Darwen NUT, UCU and ATL members took their action to the front steps of the town hall.

Since 10am, however, there was little sign of any public protests at colleges or schools around East Lancashire.

Primary school teacher Debra Tabiner, 48, has calculated that under the pension reform proposals, she would contribute an additional £90 a month and would lose £1,570 a year and over 25 years would be £119,809 worse off.

She said: “It really makes me feel down. I have been working a long time for this pension as part of my pay reward.”

Teacher Margaret Nowell, who is also the president of Blackburn with Darwen branch of the NUT, added: “I have been teaching for 40 years and I’m in my 60s now so I won’t be badly off as others.

“But there so many teachers who are going to be thousands and thousands of pounds worse off.

“Teachers are distressed about the changes and feel they have been left with no other option but to take action so somebody listens to us.”

More than 1,000 teachers, including around 300 from East Lancashire, also took part in the Lancashire demonstration at Preston Flag Market.

Simon Jones, from the National Union of Teachers, said: “The rally went really well and we are really pleased with the turnout.

"It was a very successful day and the Government need to take it seriously otherwise there will be more strike action from more unions.”

John Murphy, vice-chair and chair of the regional council for the UCU, which covers all East Lancashire college lecturers, said: “Lecturers are very, very angry with the Government.

"If they don’t pay attention and understand how determined we are then we will have to strike again.”

Tony Fort, ATL representative and Blackburn College lecturer, added: “The support is solid from ATL.

"We wanted to show solidarity with other unions such as UCU.

"We are the most moderate union. This is our first strike in 127 years, which shows the strength of feeling of our members. They are angry.”

He added that ATL and UCU members had requested the striking workers’ pay - amounting to £30,000 in total - be donated to fund bursaries for needy students.

There were large demonstrations elsewhere in the North West.

In Manchester, police and unions had expected around 500 marchers, but numbers appeared to be well up on that figure.

In Liverpool, thousands of protesters marched for a rally, carrying placards, flags and leaflets bearing slogans like: "Fight the Cuts!" and "Unity is Strength."

Nationally more than 11,000 school in England were hit by walkout by teachers.

Members of the ATL, NUT and UCU unions nationwide balloted for strike action over changes to the pensions scheme which would see them work longer and pay more into the scheme.

Around a fifth of East Lancashire’s primary and secondary schools opened as usual despite the strikes.

Bosses put their full school openings down having fewer unions members from ATL, NUT and UCU in their schools.

Bernadette Bleasdale, Blessed Trinity RC College, Burnley, said: “We only had a small number of staff taking action”

Damien Graham, assistant headteacher at All Saints Catholic Language School, Rossendale, said: “We have not had any staff members off today so we are pleased to say that we have been open.

"It’s not that we don’t agree with the strike, but they are in the NASUWT union and they didn’t strike today.”

Rebecca Clarke, Secretary at Rawtenstall St Paul’s Constable Lee C of E Primary School said: “We were still open for the pupils.

"Although we were staff members down, we still had to open.”

Mrs Lesley Fitzpatrick, headteacher at St John's in Trent Road, Nelson, said: "Our teachers decided that it was in the best interests of the children to stay in school.

"The fact that we stayed open does not mean that the teachers don't agree with the principle behind the action but they have put the children before their own needs."

Action also affected other services including the Jobcentre Plus sites in Blackburn and Burnley, which will be effectively closed.

Courts operated a skeleton staff.

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