NINETY-one schools in Worcestershire will be closed or partially shut on Thursday as hundreds of teachers, lecturers and public sector workers look set to strike.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), and University and College Union (UCU) are joining the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) on the picket lines on Thursday.

The unions are unhappy about government changes to pensions as well as concerns over jobs and pay cuts. Talks yesterday between government ministers and union reps came too late to avert the strike.

Across Worcestershire, 91 schools say they will either be closing or will be partly affected, telling some year groups not to turn up or to turn up for a shortened school day.

The effect on schools is proportionate to the staff belonging to the striking unions however, with many schools still unaffected.

Some classes at Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester College of Technology will be affected but students are being told in advance.

A tech college spokeswoman said: “All students affected will be notified.”

Teaching has finished at the University of Worcester and although some staff are joing the strikes there will not be “any significant disruption.”

“Students in teacher education may be affected if their schools are closed and are advised to come to the university instead,” said a spokeswoman.

Worcestershire County Council has published a list of those affected schools, but parents should contact schools direct for confirmation.

Unions are angry about the coalition Government’s plans to reform pensions, which teacher and lecturer bodies say could hurt education and the economy for years to come.

Steve Baker, ATL Worcestershire branch secretary, said the strike would be his union’s first for 120 years.

“We don’t want to have to strike, and we have notified headteachers in advance. Pensions are a real issue for us.

“One member told me they’ve got a two-year pay freeze, they’re losing their child benefit, and their pension contributions will have to double, so they’ll be losing about £120 a month.”

He said pension changes outlined by the Hutton Report could also mean independent school teachers being excluded from public sector pensions.

A city rally is planned on Thursday at St Peter’s Baptist Church while the PCS will be manning a picket line at the Defra and tax offices in Whittington Road.

Katherine Earp, PCS Natural England branch rep, said up to 300 city public sector workers could strike.

“There are viable alternatives to job cuts and privatisation, such as the Government doing more about uncollected tax bills,” she said Councillor Jane Potter, Worcestershire County Council education and skills chief, “It’s very much up to the school what they think they can do. But they cannot ask the children to come back to school for another day, which is a reason we hope teachers don’t decide to strike.”

Unison, which is not taking part in Thursday’s strike, has told its members not to do striking members’ jobs, but to support pickets where they can in their own time.

l On Thursday, June 30, all children under eight will be able to swim for free at Worcester Swimming Pool in Sansolme Walk.

Tara Stroud, pool spokeswoman, said: “Although it’s unfortunate some schools will be closed, we want to give parents the chance to take their children swimming free of charge.”

• This list of affected schools was correct as of Monday afternoon. For further details click here.