Protesters dressed up to illustrate how they were experiencing Victorian workhouse-like conditions as they picketed the Local Government Association conference in Bournemouth.

Local government workers on strike yesterday gathered outside the venue as delegates streamed out of the Bournemouth International Centre on their way home from the three-day event.

Passing motorists showed their support by beeping their horns while two police officers watched over the gathering to ensure tempers did not flare.

Unison regional organiser for the south, Mike Cracknell, said: ‘The present pay rise offer of 1% is wholly unacceptable for our members to live a reasonable life.

‘The austerity measures introduced by this Con-Dem government are forcing people onto the breadline and into poverty.’

Secretary of Unison’s Bournemouth branch, David Higgins, added: ‘It’s though we’re treated as the pariahs of society and second-class citizens.

‘I think the Government deserves the major blame but councils could do more. They can always find money for the projects they want.’

Unison claimed more than one million public sector workers attended picket lines and rallies in protest over this year’s pay offer, hailing yesterday’s strike as an ‘overwhelming success’.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: ‘The decision to take strike action and sacrifice a day’s pay was a very difficult one, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of low paid workers, but our members felt this was the only way to have their voices heard.’

National secretary for public services at the GMB, Brian Strutton, said the union had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the support and claimed council services had been ‘significantly affected’.

Mr Strutton said: ‘Local council and schools staff – union members or not – are very angry and it’s time someone listened.’