Details of services affected by today’s Public Sector unions strike over pensions.

SCHOOLS

Hundreds of schools were either closed or partially affected today, plunging working parents into chaos.

Picket lines were set up at the University of Wolverhampton, including at its Walsall Campus, while members of the National Union of Teachers were joining a rally outside Sandwell Council House in Oldbury today.

At least 100 schools in Staffordshire were closed. In Wolverhampton more than 80 schools were closed with 27 open or partially open. Almost 90 schools in Walsall have shut along with at least 50 in Sandwell and 36 in north Worcestershire. Dinner ladies were also not reporting for duty.

LIBRARIES AND BINS

Libraries and customer service desks were closed at councils today as thousands of workers stayed away.

Walsall residents were putting their bins out not knowing whether enough binmen would turn up to take away the rubbish . Residents in Cannock Chase were being warned brown bin collections of garden and food waste may not take place but were advised to put out bins  and leave them out if no collection happened. Blue recycling bins were being collected as normal.

Librarians, lollipop ladies, park keepers and benefits officers are striking  but grave diggers, morticians and meals on wheels stafF were due in.

JOBS AND BENEFITS CENTRES

Job centres were telling unemployed people they did not need to come in to sign on today as they would be paid automatically.

But some staff who were still working were still expecting people who had booked appointments to discuss jobs and benefits to attend.

Benefits were being paid directly into people’s bank accounts and jobseekers did not need to turn up to sign on.

A picket line was due to be set up at the Job Centre in Temple Street, Wolverhampton, today by the PCS trade union.

People were due to be on a picket at Cannock Job Centre Plus, in Beecroft Road, from 7am.

COURTS AND TAX OFFICES

Tax office staff walked out today, leaving their work processing VAT and other rates.

Courts were open as normal in the Midlands despite the walkout.

Members of the PCS trade union were picketing outside Crown House, the offices of the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs.

They were also at HMRC on Tettenhall Road, which is a national centre for processing tax for businesses.

Jennie Kendal, spokesman for HMRC, said: “HMRC is disappointed with the decision to strike and will do all it can to maintain services to the public.”

Passport control staff at airports were out on strike today, forcing passengers to wait in long queues.

AIRPORTS

While Birmingham Airport was open as normal, UK Border Agency (UKBA) workers were refusing to check passports.

Passengers flying into Birmingham Airport were being urged to have all their travel documents, including passports, available and taken out of any wallets and to use the automatic e-Passport gates where available.

The UKBA has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after it emerged passport checks for non-European nationals were suspended over the summer

UKBA spokesman Toby Allanson said: “Securing the border is our priority and over the last weeks and months we have considered all options to ensure we are prepared for union action.

”We always aim to minimise any disruption caused by the decision of unions to strike, but travellers could see longer waiting times at some ports and airports.”

DRIVING TESTS

Driving test centres were today open as usual but the Driving Standards Agency did not know how many of its examiners would turn up to work.

The advice to learner drivers was to turn up at the test centre despite the industrial action by examiners who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union.

Any tests cancelled today would be re-booked with a new date sent out within five to 10 working days.

Driving Standards Agency chief executive Rosemary Thew said theory tests were unaffected but if candidates failed to attend for practical tests they would not be able to claim out of pocket expenses.