Today is the public sector day of action in the United Kingdom. Around 2 million workers are expected to go on strike over pay and pension disagreements with the government. Prime Minister David Cameron says the strike is "irresponsible and wrong". According to the BBC, ‘Schools, hospitals, airports, ports and government offices will be among sites disrupted, as more than 1,000 demonstrations are due across the UK.’ 'All airports will be open' with expected flight delays.
Why are people striking on Wednesday?
Public sector workers who are members of 29 trade unions have voted to strike over proposed government reforms to their pensions that include: a £2.8bn increase in contribution payments by 2014/2015; pegging the retirement age to the state pension age; switching the way pensions are uprated every year from the higher RPI rate of inflation to the lower CPI rate; and moving staff from final salary schemes to career average schemes. About 2.6 million people were balloted – across the range of public sector posts from teachers to immigration officers and care workers – with an estimated 750,000 voting yes. It will be the biggest bout of industrial unrest since the 1979 winter of discontent.
—The Guardian
