Today I marched on strike for the first time in my life. Despite the fact that, as I explained yesterday, I am not technically on strike as Angus Council moved one of our Bank Holidays, I wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with colleagues from across Tayside.
We started off from Dudhope Park, down the Lochee Road. The organisers had told the police they were expecting 2,500. But as you can see there were more – a lot more!
This was my first ever march, as I suspect it was for the large numbers of Primary School teachers, Midwives, Radiologists and many other groups who joined us on our walk into City Square in Dundee. The traffic was held up by the officers of Tayside Police, and many of the drivers waiting patiently honked their horns in support.
Once we arrived in City Square, it was announced that the Police said we had between 8,000 and 10,000 folk on the march. There then followed a number of very good speakers, from all the main public sector unions.
Sadly, I think this day of strike action will not be the last. We will have to come out again to show the strength of feeling on this issue. This was certainly no “damp squib“.