This Cardiff demonstration attracted thousands of people

The one-off demonstration at 1200 GMT is open to most of the 13,000 staff at Rhondda Cynon Taf council..

A minute's silence will also be held.

Only those working directly with vulnerable adults and children will not be able to leave their workplaces.

The Plaid Cymru leadership at RCT will also join the protest along with trade union representatives and members at Clydach Vale's Pavilions council offices.

Plaid Cymru is against any military action in Iraq.

However, local MP Labour backbencher Ann Clwyd is supporting Tony Blair and is being tipped as a likely replacement for Clare Short, should she stand down from the UK Cabinet over the crisis.

"The people at Rhondda Cynon Taf have a proud history of internationalism and speaking out on moral issues and matters of social justice," said council leader Pauline Jarman AM.

"I have agreed to proposals which will allow council staff to express their views on war with Iraq if they so wish in a way which ensures minimum disruption to council services."

I don't think the RCT people protesting for 15 minutes will achieve anything other than disruption Susan Ruck

UNISON and Stop the War spokesperson Dominic MacAskill said UK-wide demonstrations are planned on the first day of war.

He added: "I would encourage all employers to be as socially responsible as RCT council and to help send a clear and united message that this war is unjust, illegal and unnecessary."

Staff who cannot leave their positions can go to a protest rally outside Pontypridd railway station at 1800 GMT on the same day.

The council's gesture is being planned to keep disruption to services to a minimum, said a spokesman.

Susan Ruck: 'Protest will affect the wrong people'

But the planned protest was met with a lukewarm reception on the streets of Pontypridd.

Susan Ruck, aged 42, from Bridgend was shopping in the town.

She said: "I don't think the RCT people protesting for 15 minutes will achieve anything other than disruption.

"I think it'll affect all the wrong people, like people who need benefits and need their bins collected."

She added: "I'm in the middle with the war.

Zhiwei Yan said he wanted peace

"I think they should give him (Saddam Hussein) more time and see what happens."

Zhiwei Yan, aged 20, a computer student at Pontypridd's University of Glamorgan, said he wanted peace.

"I think if war happens everybody will suffer in Britain.

"If we go to war it's going to harm everybody here as well as in Iraq, it won't be good for our economy either."

He said he thought the council staff should be able to protest, if they wished.

Laura Fletcher and son Morgan: 'Council should support their staff'

Twenty-one-year-old Laura Fletcher, from Yorkdale, Beddau, supported the RCT staff as well as the government's war stance.

"I have been following it, I thought it would all blow over.

"It is a bit of a worry but if war happens, it happens, it's good to protest.

"I think the council should support their staff if they want to protest."