Memebers of the union Unison are withdrawing their labour, leading to disruptions for residents across the borough.

Calls to the council's main switchboard (01282 661661) will not be answered on July 16th and 17th but a recorded message will explain how residents can get help in an emergency.

Calls to the council's telephone contact centre will be answered as normal.

The following council contact points will be open as normal: Contact Pendle at Number One Market Street, Nelson; Barnoldswick Council Shop; Colne Town Hall Council Shop; Earby Council Shop; Brierfield Town Hall; Marsden Park Depot, Nelson, and Fleet Street Depot, Nelson.

Collections of recycling materials on Wednesday and Thursday will definitely continue as normal, pledged council officials, however refuse collections in Trawden, Laneshawbridge and Colne may be affected.

Lunch clubs for older residents on Wednesday and Thursday have been cancelled, along with the Community Bus Scheme.

Brierfield's Woodfield Nursery School, Gisburn Road Community Primary School in Barnoldswick and St Thomas's CE Primary School, Barrowford, have all had to close due to the industrial action.

Nelson Market Hall and Colne Market Hall will both open but the meeting of full council scheduled for Thursday is being rearranged for a date in August.

Stephen Barnes, Pendle Council's Chief Executive, said: "This national strike has been called by Unison, Unite and TGWU because of the pay award being offered to local government workers in England and Wales.

"Many of our employees will be choosing to strike and this will affect the services we provide to local people on Wednesday and Thursday.

"We have looked long and hard at how we can provide the minimum number of staff to respond to emergencies. We want to make sure no Pendle residents have to suffer unduly as a result of the strike."

A total of 98,000 council workers from the North West - and 600,000 nationwide - are withdrawing their labour over a 2.45% pay rise offer.
Members of trade unions Unison and Unite have rejected the offer and are pressing for 6%.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: "Local government workers cannot afford to take another pay cut which is what 2.45% means. The employers are sitting on billions of pounds in bank accounts - money our members have saved through their hard work and efficiency - which should be used to settle this dispute."