UP to 200 workers, union officials, residents and community members participated in industrial action yesterday against the council's One Barnet programme, culminating in a rally outside Hendon Town Hall.

A picket was formed from 7am outside North London Business Park as 157 striking staff were sent home in a "lock-out" and campaigned around the borough.

Striker Anaclet Koffi has worked for the council's parking department at the Mill Hill depot for seven years and was among those "locked-out" from work yesterday.

Standing outside the hall holding a union flag he said: "I think they heard us today."

Fellow parking employee Petronela Mazanoba, of Lambeth, claimed to have been instructed by management to issue a certain quota of tickets, regardless of how many parking offences were being committed.

"You don't need to go private to improve services, it's because they are greedy," she said.

Peter Smith, of Whetstone, was among many residents who joined the rally to support the striking workers.

"I'm against One Barnet, against privatisation and the cuts," he said.

The council maintained that staff who would not commit to providing a normal full-day service would not get paid.

Spokesperson Sue Cocker said the council planned to implement their offer to staff and write it into the contracts of any outside services provider. "This will ensure ongoing and continuous membership of the local authority pension scheme and protect terms and conditions for at least one year if a service is outsourced."

A manager from the council's regulatory services and environmental health, who wished to remain anonymous, said he would not be paid despite working a full day.

"I didn't strike today, but I refused to sign the register, so I'm not getting paid," he said.

"The staff didn't want to go on strike, but they feel this is the only way of getting the message across."

Barnet UNISON union branch secretary John Burgess blamed the council for the escalation and maintained that they were still open to discussions.