WORKERS across Trafford took to the streets today to protest about pay and pensions.

The mass action involved public sector workers who are members of Unite, Unison, GMB, PCS, NUT and FBU.

Pickets were out in force at Trafford Council's Talbot Road HQ and at the authority's depot at Carrington ahead of a lunch time rally in Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens. The action affected services including schools, fire and local government.

Trafford MP Kate Green called on the government to listen to the concerns of the workforce across the borough.

She said: "No-one wants to see a strike, not least because of the impact on children and parents across Trafford.

"Instead of ramping up the rhetoric the government should get round the table, because both sides have a responsibility to stop it happening.”

The Trade Union Congress said the action was to defend both pay and pensions which had been seriously eroded by the Coalition Government's austerity measures.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:“Across the public sector workers are on strike today to say enough is enough.

"Year after year pay has failed to keep up with the cost of living. Public sector workers are on average more than £2,000 worse off under this government."

Ms O'Grady said almost half a million local government workers earn less than the living wage.

She added: "Yet even as the economy starts to grow, ministers have told them that the pay cap will last until at least 2018.

“This is why today’s strikers deserve public support. They are saying that ordinary workers should not be locked out of the recovery, and that we should all get a fair share as the economy grows again.”