POLICE in North Yorkshire are pulling out all the stops to provide "life and limb cover" during Tuesday's public service union strike.

Large numbers of civilian police staff members will be taking part in the strike, over Government plans to change pension rights for workers public service workers.

Those striking will include control room emergency call takers and dispatchers, Police Community Support Officers, custody suite detention officers, prisoner interviewers and investigators, scenes of crime analysts, front desk inquiry staff and office administrators.

John Mackfall, Unison spokesman for North Yorkshire Police staff, said: "The last thing any member of staff, for the police especially, wanted to do is withdraw their labour for a day, but our negotiations with the Deputy Prime Minister have not been successful."

He said some employees would not take action because the dispute was not with the force but the Government, and no one wanted to disable the police force for a day.

He said: "We still have a responsibility to the policing of North Yorkshire, so we have agreed where possible to provide life and limb cover.

"That does not detract from members' rights to withdraw their labour on the day, but some will refrain from action to keep the service going, mainly because we don't want the people of North Yorkshire, or our police officer colleagues, to suffer."

The Government's proposals would affect all workers whose employers are in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

More than 80 per cent of Unison's York City branch members voted to take industrial action to safeguard their pension rights.

Under the "85-year rule", workers in the LGPS can now retire before 65 and still claim full pension benefits if their length of employment plus their time in the scheme totals 85 years or more.

Mr Mackfall said he would have been able to retire at 55 under the rule, but the changes meant he would have to work until he was 65 for the same money.

He added: "That can't be fair."

Police officers will be taken off both patrol and response duties in order to fill in for their striking colleagues on the day.

They have been told that all days off have been cancelled on March 28, because they will be needed for "contingency plans".

Police Federation chairman Mark Botham said: "All rest days are cancelled for that day in order to deal with any eventuality that may arise across the board.

"We fully support the action Unison is taking. Their fight is not with the force but with the Government, which has pushed them into a corner."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the unions had agreed that no key staff - those in "life or death" positions - would strike.

He said the force had made sure all emergency roles would be covered.

Chief Constable Della Cannings has stated that no staff member will be detrimentally affected if they choose to strike.

Council workers' pensions protest

COUNCIL services across the area could be affected by strike action next week as workers protest over pensions.

Local authority buildings in Selby will be closed on Tuesday as Unison members join in industrial action against plans to scrap their right to retire at 60.

But City of York Council is still in talks with the union to find out which departments will be affected and whether any offices must close.

Meanwhile in Ryedale, councillors are warning there may be disruption to bin collections and other services.

Workers are angry at Government proposals to end a rule that allows some civil servants to receive a full pension at 60.

In Selby, the strike will mean the Town Hall, in York Street, and Selby Community Centre, in Scott Road, being closed.

The council-run cemetery in Westfield Road will be open to the public, but no staff will be on duty.

In Ryedale, council buildings will be closed to the public - but telephone inquiries can be made by calling the usual switchboard number - 01653 600666.

Ryecare, the telephone helpline service for elderly residents, will also be available.

Coun Robert Wainwright, chairman of Ryedale's policy and resources committee, said some bin and recycling collections might take place a day later.

But he added: "The switchboard will be fully operational and non-union staff will work flexibly to provide cover where possible. Inevitably, other services may be temporarily affected."

A spokeswoman for City of York Council said: "We are still in talks with Unison to find out what effects there might be and will make an announcement shortly."

Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, March 22, 2006