HUNDREDS of teachers, firefighters and council workers took to the streets of Chelmsford this afternoon (July 10) because "they have no choice".
A wide coalition of groups marched in protest against the government, with grievances ranging from pensions, pay and working conditions.
Sarah-Janye Sieg, head of modern foreign languages at Tabor Academy, Braintree and the school's NUT representative, said: "I'm on strike for three reasons.
"We're paying 50 per cent more into our pension pots, but we're getting less at the end of it, so we're paying more to get less.
"When I first signed my contract, I thought I was to retire at 60, but another eight years have been added, which is unjustifiable.
"We want to negotiate with Michael Gove, get him to come in and listen and look for middle ground.
"If we don't make teaching attractive, we'll have to look abroad and the students will suffer."
Mrs Sieg was joined by her school colleagues, Geraldine Gardner and Hannah Sheppard, art and photography teachers at the school respectively.
"What the Government is doing is madness," said Mrs Gardner.
"All teachers are passionate about the children. As an art teacher, putting pensions aside, it's more about how schools have become businesses and how it's all about league tables.
"The media portray teachers as lazy, but people don't understand how much we put in. It's a vocation, not a job and we don't want to work until we're 68."
Malcolm Wallis, who represents Chelmsford TUC, said: "We represent all the trade unions. All the people today have a case and the government will have to argue their case."
Tracey Lambert, Lead Unison representative for the eastern region, said: "The local government gave a one per cent pay rise to staff, which was the first wage increase in five years.
"We are fighting for a living wage, not a minimum wage.
"Since 2010, there's been a 20 per cent pay cut, seeing people go to food banks and claim benefits.
"Nursery nurses, librarians and care assistants have been affected and these are people we rely on."
Teacher Cheryl Mill, a member of Unison, said: "I'm fed up with the attacks; they've been constant since the 1980s. Gove is the image of ignorance and evil."
