Strikes Go Ahead Nationwide
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November 30, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
Today strikes cause chaos up and down the UK as public sector workers demand a better deal for their pensions.
Today around two million public sector workers across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland are on strike.
The strike involves UK Border Agency staff, probation officers, radiographers, librarians, jobcentre workers, court staff, tax inspectors, social workers, refuse collectors, midwives, road sweepers, cleaners, paramedics, school meals staff, passport office staff, police civilian staff, driving test examiners, customs officers, patent officers, and health and safety inspectors.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary, Brendan Barber, said public sector workers were being treated very unfairly by the government.
“There will be some disruption to services as a result of the action – we regret that. But an awful lot of public sector workers are today saying they feel they are being treated with real injustice by the government trying to force through very, very unfair, damaging changes to their pensions. And I think that message is going to come across very, very loud and clear today.”
The public sector workers are protesting against the plans to reform pensions. The government is intending to make people pay more money for their pensions and receive it based on a “career advantage salary” rather than a final salary and work longer hours.
Unite general secretary Glen McCluskey said in a press statement: “When Francis Maude, the government’s lead pensions’ negotiator, can receive a pension of £43,000-a-year, but nurses, teachers, dinner ladies, fire-fighters and librarians have to pay substantially more, work longer and receive less in real terms when they retire, the mantra of ‘We are all in this together’ has a very hollow and shabby ring.”
Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he believes the pension reforms to be fair and sustainable.
He said on Prime Minister’s Question Time: “I don’t want to see any strikes, I don’t want to see schools closed, I don’t want to see problems at our borders, but this government has to make responsible decisions.”
This is the largest mass strike since the 1979 Winter of Discontent when 1.5m workers went on strike. It has affected transportation and a multitude of public services.
In England, over half of schools have closed. This figure has risen to 80% of schools in Wales and in Scotland only 30 out of 2,700 schools remain open.
The NHS has cancelled 6,000 of the 30,000 operations that would routinely be performed across the country on a daily basis.
In Cardiff, local bus service provider Cardiff Bus is not operating any services. There are no public transport services running in Northern Ireland.
Most UK airports are reported to be operating as normal. The UKs two largest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, have not reported any significant delays.
However, Gatwick’s chief operating officer, Scott Stanley, has said: “We do expect delays to occur at some point today as the rate of arriving flights increases. That said, we do have robust plans in place to help keep those delays at the border zones to a minimum.”
It was previously reported that the UK Border Agency had been attempting to persuade border agents abroad to come to the UK and cover for those who are striking. According to airport sources, border staffing levels are currently at two thirds of regular staffing levels. A small number of Downing Street staff are also manning the UK borders today.
22 out of the 23 workers across the channel in Calais have not turned up to work.
The strikes are being accompanied by mass protests with demonstrations being held in Birmingham, Leeds, Exeter, Norwich and Aberdeen.
A small number of Downing Street employees have also gone on strike.
By Louisa Guise
[Image courtesy of Roger Blackwell]
