AROUND 3,000 public sector workers joined a march through Liverpool in protest over pension changes and warned: “This is just the beginning.”

Around 300 Merseyside schools closed and hundreds more only partially opened as members of the National Union of Teachers and Association of Teachers and Lecturers supported a national public sector strike.

The placard-waving teachers, who staged a peaceful noon march from St John’s Gardens in Liverpool city centre to The Blackie in Chinatown were protesting at plans to increase their pension contributions and raise the retirement age.

Many of the teachers, who were joined for the protest by workers from sectors as diverse as the North West Ambulance Service to job centres, warned making them work until 68 would see them “burn out”.

And after completing the police supervised march which was greeted by public applause as it passed through Queen Square and Renshaw Street, union officials told the ECHO a bigger version of yesterday’s protest would almost certainly be repeated in the Autumn term.

Peter Glover, NUT Liverpool press spokesman defended any future disruption to Merseyside parents.

He said: “This is just the opening shot and there is no turning back.

“The government is not backing down and other protests are likely in the Autumn term.

“Hopefully by that time even more trade unions will come out to join us.”

And Sylvia Wilcox ATL branch secretary for Liverpool stressed: “Striking is not a decision we take lightly.

“We have not balloted for national action in 127 years but we feel we have no choice when reason has failed.

“After months and months of talks, we still are waiting for the government to tell us whether the Teachers’ Pension Scheme is in good health or not.

“It was valued in 2006 when measures were put in place to account for increased life expectancy – and the scheme’s not been valued since then.

“So how can the government say we need to put in 3.4% more in contributions, we need to get less by moving to career average rather than final salary, and we need to work until we’re 68 in order to secure the scheme?”

Teachers and public supporters chanted and sounded whistles as the city’s streets became a sea of banners bearing ‘Fair Pensions for All’ slogans.

Protesters included Anna Vaughton, 24, a newly qualified teacher who in September took her first teaching post at the Belvedere Academy in Princes Park which was partly open yesterday.

She said she felt betrayed.

She added: “I only started teaching last year and to find out that pensions are going to change is not a nice surprise.”

And Margaret Nolan, an English teacher from Huyton, ridiculed the notion that teachers should still be taking classes at the age of 68.

The 46-year-old said: “A PE teacher aged 68 is not going to be as energetic or effective.

“But it is ridiculous for anyone, whatever they do, to have to work at that age.”

Demonstrators included retired teacher John Williamson, 62, from Greasby.

He said teachers who had called time on their careers were already being punished with diminished pension pots due to changes in the way pensions are calculated.

And he said: “Would you want your children to be taught by a 68-year-old?

“It is not a profession for old people. Education moves so fast with constant changes to the curriculum, the way you integrate with children and as you get older you’re not up to it.”

Other teachers warned that making pensions less attractive and raising the working age would hit recruitment.

Headteachers whose schools were hit by the protest includes Dennis Hardiman who heads both St Sebastian’s primary school in Kensington and St Cuthbert’s primary in Old Swan.

He had to close St Cuthbert’s as all teachers are NUT members but managed to keep St Sebastian’s open as only four of 10 staff went on strike.

But he was supportive of their actions.

He said: “Teachers do not take actions like this lightly.

“For these teachers it is like someone saving up for years for a five star all inclusive holiday but just before they are due to go being told the money isn’t there to pay for it and you will have to make do with a one star hotel instead.”

But Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was “disappointed” at the strikes.

“We’re still in negotiations and the people who really lose out as a result of the strike are children who are not in school enjoying their lessons, and in particular hard-working parents, who have been put to quite a lot of inconvenience as a result of this action.”