Walkout

More than two thirds of British schools were shut on Wednesday as an estimated two million public sector workers staged a one-day walkout in a row over pension reforms.

Unions claimed the strike, which saw thousands of hospital operations cancelled and caused delays at British airports, was the biggest industrial action in the UK for more than thirty years.

Employees responsible for delivering many of Britain's public services are angry over plans to raise their retirement age to 67 and force workers to increase their monthly pension contributions.

The government insists that workers must face up to a stark new reality. The British economy is barely growing and is feeling the effects of the eurozone crisis, not to mention the UK's own debt problems.

Ministers claim that workers in the public sector, which includes Britain's largest employer, the National Health Service (NHS), have seen their standard of living rise dramatically over the last ten years, while those on the private sector payroll have seen average incomes fall.

Public opinion divided

But some workers say the government has exaggerated just how generous public sector pensions are, in an attempt to split public opinion.

"The average pension for people working in the NHS is 8,000 pounds (9,340 euros; $12,554) a year," said Jackie Hall, a child psychotherapist for the NHS. "It's made out as if the rest of the country is financing something which is exorbitant. But it's actually something very modest and really well earned," said Hall, who joined Wednesday's march through central London with her colleagues.

More than 25,000 people turned out for the rally on the banks of the River Thames, just a short walk from London's famous Houses of Parliament.

Union officials hoped that despite battling a coalition government determined to cut Britain's enormous public deficit, the one-day strike would help force officials to rethink their offer.

"We've been in negotiations with the government since January," said Karen Jennings, assistant deputy secretary of Unison, Britain's largest public sector union. "It was only the day before we announced our ballot that the government went to parliament and made some concessions," she added.

Economic outlook worsens

But in a warning that unions may be too optimistic, UK Chancellor George Osborne told parliament less than 24 hours earlier, that additional austerity measures were necessary to bring down Britain's debt levels.

Public sector workers, he said, could expect just a one percent annual pay increase between now and 2014. Osborne said he had no option but to bring forward plans to increase the retirement age.

Workers attending the London rally say morale in many parts of the UK's public sector is at an all-time low.

"I'm now facing a time when I'm reconsidering my career because I'd be much better off in the private sector," said Judith McAteer, a teacher from the London borough of Lewisham.

"Conditions are getting worse and the only thing you had to look forward to was a decent pension. But that's being taken away from us as well," added McAteer who moved to the British capital from Northern Ireland because of a lack of employment prospects.

Despite those worries, analysts warn that Britain's public sector faces even tougher times. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that another 330,000 jobs will have to be lost before 2015 in addition to nearly half a million positions already earmarked to be cut.

Women bear the brunt

Unions say that women will be disproportionately affected by the reforms as many are employed as nurses, teachers and social workers.

"Women are looking after people every day of the week. They're the cohesive side of society," said Karen Jennings from the union Unison. "I think people, and the female voter in particular, will make sure that the government rues the day if they don't concede," she warned.

Unlike many health workers, Britain's 400,000 nurses did not take part in the strike. Nurses unions, who are due to ballot their members about industrial action in January, are equally worried about the government's plans to increase pension contributions.

Union leaders says it is the equivalent of a three percent tax increase, at a time when inflation in the UK has reached more than five percent and Britain's sales tax was raised to 20 percent.

"What the government is saying to us is 'you can pay more, work longer and get a lot less at the end of it'," said Faith Thornhill, who works at University College Hospital in London.

The nurse, who joined a picket line for striking workers warned ministers that they may end up with a much bigger pension bill: "A lot of us can't afford the increase and may have to leave the scheme," said Thornhill. "If that happens and the scheme collapses, we'll be more reliant on our state pension and it will cost the government more."

Minimal Disruption

More than a thousand similar rallies were held all over the UK. An estimated 20,000 people marched through the streets of Manchester, another 10,000 protested in Glasgow.

Despite fears that the one-day strike would bring much of Britain to a standstill, commentators said the disruption was minimal. Border officials arranged alternative cover for customs officers at UK ports and airports. Contingency plans at hospitals and local government offices helped keep services running.

About a third of council staff in England and Wales were not at work on Wednesday.

Prime Minister David Cameron played down the impact of the walk-out described the strike as a "damp squib" while Trades Union Congress general secretary Brendan Barber said the strike was "a terrific success".

Author: Nik Martin
Editor: Joanna Impey