ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STRIKE DAY - WalesOnline

Who is striking today and why?

Members of the Association of Teachers & Lecturers (ATL), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Public & Commercial Services union (PCS) and the University & College Union (UCU) will be on strike today. They claim the UK Government wants their members to "pay more, work longer and get less in retirement".

How big an impact will this have?

Schools and colleges will either shut or have to cope with a minimum of staff as teachers and lecturers head for the picket line. But anywhere that civil servants work will be affected, such as JobCentres, tax and benefit offices, the Newport passport office and many other Government operations.

Why is there such anger?

Unions are unhappy the Government has changed the way pensions are increased in line with inflation each year so that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used and not the Retail Price Index (RPI).

What's the difference?

The CPI excludes housing costs and the unions claim this means "pensions would be worth less and members losing tens of thousands of pounds in retirement". A judicial review is due to be heard on the switch in the autumn.

Are the changes that bad?

The unions say the new arrangements will deliver "20%-50% less than the current pension scheme for a full career in public service".

Plus, they claim that workers will have to pay more to get a worse deal, arguing that a headteacher might have to pay an extra £164 a month. They loathe the ending of final salary schemes and also fear that the pension age will climb to 68.

Is the Westminster coalition rattled?

The Prime Minister claims there are widespread misconceptions.

He said yesterday in the Commons: "Just to put this beyond doubt, when people who are currently in a final salary scheme get the accrued benefits, they will be based on their final salary; not their final salary now or when the reforms go through, but the final salary when they retire. As so much myth and misinformation has been put around by some in the trade unions, it is important to put that on the record here in the House."

This is a moment in the spotlight for union leaders, but do the rank and file members support going on strike?

Among those who took part in the ballots, there is overwhelming support. It is backed by 61% of PCS workers, 83% of those in the ATL, 92% of NUT members, and 72% of UCU members in FE colleges and 76% at "post-1992" universities.

I can understand why the unions are upset and members are so annoyed, but do they have any positive ideas about how Britain can climb out of its financial hole?

As it happens, Andy Richards, President of the Welsh TUC and Welsh regional secretary of Unite, the country's largest trade union, is expected to unveil an alternative economic programme in Cardiff today.

What will this involve?

It's expected the measures will include collecting the "missing tax billions" from the banks, multinational companies, and rich individuals by closing the "loopholes and avoidance scams".

Anger may be focused on the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government in London, but will things get hairy for Labour's Carwyn Jones as First Minister?

The Welsh Government is so keen to avoid this it uses capital letters in its most recent statement on the subject: "Let's be clear, the unions are NOT in dispute with the Welsh Government – it is a UK-wide pay dispute over pension arrangements."

So are Labour ministers in Cardiff on the side of the strikers?

They are certainly not on the side of the UK Government.

A spokesman said: "With a two-year pay freeze, rising fuel costs, inflation at 5%, the threat of redundancy, it's clear that public sector workers are facing a particularly tough time at the moment. It is also clear that these proposals will have a particular impact on women, who make up the majority of low-paid public sector workers. It's fair to say that the UK Government's response last week was provocative and unhelpful."

Do strikes have a place in the modern world of work?

This is a matter of debate, but Fabio Grech, partner at the Welsh law firm Berry Smith, said: "There has been much debate over whether the right to strike should or should not be removed, certainly as far as essential services are concerned. Leaving aside that such proposals wouldn't fly without industrial action of an unprecedented scale, many would argue that there's no more persuasive means of bringing the parties to the negotiating table."

Will this be the end of the strikes or can we expect more action?

Picket lines could become a much more familiar sight across Wales. Larger unions, which have millions of members, are planning to strike in October.

Margaret Thatcher came into power in 1979 after the Labour Government was hit by repeated strikes. Will this dash Ed Miliband's chances of election?

The Labour leader was accused by the Prime Minister of being in the "pocket of the unions" – but middle-cass public sector workers were at the heart of the New Labour revolution in the 1990s and many of them may be alarmed by the cuts and swing behind Mr Miliband in 2015.

He is no supporter of today's action and said the strikes were a "mistake" and a "sign of failure on both sides". He urged both sides to get around the negotiating table.

Is the UK getting more militant as it tires of austerity?

Today's strikes have become a lightning rod for disaffection. Lindsey German, national convener for the Stop the War group, said: "The same people who tell us that the country 'can't afford' to pay pensions or provide public services have now entered into their third major war in 10 years – with no end in sight."

Is this a good day to pop to the Assembly in Cardiff Bay and have a look around?

No. For health and safety reasons, the Senedd and the Pierhead will be closed all day.

So are AMs having a day off?

Not officially. T Hywel, the big red brick building next door to the Senedd where AMs have their offices, will remain open.

How many people be able to attend the protest rallies if they have to look after children who would normally be in school?

The unions aim to make these family-friendly affairs.

There will be refreshments and face- painting in Cardiff; a picnic in the park with music and children's games and more face-painting in Llandrindod Wells, and balloons and even a brass band in Merthyr Tydfil.