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British public-sector strike closes schools, railways
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CBC News
Border workers joined teachers and hospital staff in Britain on Wednesday for a public-sector strike over government spending cuts they say will make them pay more and work longer for their pensions, but airline travel has so far been unaffected in the one-day walkout.
Called the worst disruption to services in decades, the strike closed most state-run schools and brought hospitals to a virtual standstill. As well, garbage collection and most rail service were cancelled, tunnels were closed, and thousands of non-emergency hospital operations were cancelled, the Guardian reported.
At airports, however, passengers experienced little of the forecast.trouble.
Heathrow Airport and scores of airlines had warned that international travellers could be held in lines for up to 12 hours at immigration halls as a result of staff shortages. But airport managers said flights arriving early Wednesday from the United States, Asia and Europe were largely unaffected, in part because of contingency plans that saw bureaucrats drafted in to staff border desks
While the nub of the issue is the cost of public-service pensions, the walkout does not have the support of the opposition Labour Party.
"We do not support the strike, because a strike is a sign of failure," treasury critic Rachel Reeve told the BBC.
On the Conservative government side, the action was branded "indefensible and wrong" by Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude.
"While discussions are continuing, I would urge public-sector workers to look at the offer for themselves rather than listening to the rhetoric of their union leaders," he told the BBC.
"These are the sort of pensions that few in the private sector can enjoy."
Labour union leaders, however, have warned that the strike may just be the start of a wave of disruption, with public workers opposing government plans to reform pensions, demands that they work longer before receiving a pension and contribute more money each month.
Airline passengers face chaos at immigration halls and school closures may force parents to take children into work Wednesday.
Waits as long as three hours had been expected for travellers arriving at Heathrow.
As well, Gatwick airport south of London expected "significant disruption."
Some border control points were being served by temporary hired staff, while marines were on standby to work at Heathrow, the BBC reported.
Prime Minister David Cameron's public-sector pension changes are part of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government's package of austerity measures to tackle a budget deficit that peaked at 11 per cent of GDP when the government was elected.
The government says public-sector workers must pay more into state-controlled pension plans to make annual savings of £2.8 billion ($4.5 billion) by 2014. It cites longer life expectancy and the fact that government pensions are more generous than those offered in the private sector, putting an unfair burden on taxpayers.
Under the plan, workers in the public sector will contribute an average of 3.2 per cent more annually to their pension funds, Reuters reported.
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