THOUSANDS of public sector workers took to the streets in Huddersfield yesterday.

Schools across Huddersfield closed and a host of public services went undone as unions and their members carried out the largest strike for many years.

On the Examiner’s webchat the public were just slightly in favour of the strike, but there wasn’t much in it.

TommyDGNR8 said: “Judging by the number of horns being honked outside the ambulance station this morning I’m pleased to find that this odious government’s attempt to turn worker against worker has not been half as successful as you might think if your only human interaction is with radio phone-ins and newspaper talkboards.

“Just because we in the private sector rolled over when the fat cats came after our pensions and conditions there is no reason we should support them doing the same to the public sector.

“If, and there has been precious little actual evidence published which supports the claim, the public sector pension schemes are unsustainable in the long term, then they should be reformed in the long term.

“Changing the terms and conditions of long-serving employees – a large proportion of whom could have been earning appreciably more in the open market – is unacceptable.

“Cameron and Co need to realise why employment terms and conditions are where they are.

“This country avoided the political excesses every other major European state experienced over the last couple of centuries by keeping the workers placated. Remove the salve, aggravate the irritation and prepare to reap what you sow.”

But Birkbyproud didn’t see it quite like that: “This strike will be welcome relief to teachers ... they’ve had no ‘snow days’ yet this year!”

Magdale sang a similar tune: “I spoke to a teacher this morning and she said she was very happy to have today ‘off’ as she could get on with her preparations for Christmas as it’s quieter than at the weekend.

“Personally I would lock all strikers out until the New Year and wish them all a Merry Christmas.”

And it sounds like Rufus was definitely against it: “How much extra are these strikers being asked to pay? Not very much is it? “These strikes are driven by the Left’s refusal to accept the results of the last election. Today we have people earning a lot less than the strikers taking unpaid time off work to look after their children.

“Or do you think we should just roll over and accept the demands of unions?’’