Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

Britain faces mass strike by public sector workers

Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Jul, 2014 11:52 AM
    Britain is witnessing one of the biggest strikes by public sector employees in three years with up to one million people expected to take to the streets to protest pay freeze and pension changes as part of austerity measures, media reports said Thursday.
     
    Union leaders said more than 50 marches and rallies were organised across England and Wales Thursday, the Guardian reported. 
     
    Health workers and civil servants are joining teachers in the mass demonstration against the austerity measures. 
     
    Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, representing many of the country's lowest paid workers, told the BBC: "Something has got to give -- enough is enough.
     
    "We've got 300,000 now on zero-hour contracts, we've got a million workers in local government earning below the living wage that (Conservative Party leader) Boris Johnson and others talk about, and people are saying: 'We cannot go through another three years of this pay restraint'."
     
    The National Union of Teachers (NUT) says more than 20,000 teachers could take part with nationwide rallies and pickets planned for towns and cities ranging from Cambridge, Leicester, Swansea, Torquay and the Isle of Wight, the Independent reported.
     
    The British government implemented a public sector pay freeze for two years from 2010-12 and has subsequently imposed a one percent pay cap, meaning some of the lowest paid workers have seen their income fall in real terms for more than four years.
     
    The result of a Trades Union Congress research Wednesday showed that since the coalition government led by Prime Minister David Cameron took office, local government workers, teachers, firefighters, civil servants and other public servants were on average 2,245 pounds worse off in real terms.
     
    However, the government has downplayed the extent of the strike.
     
    "The vast majority of dedicated public sector workers did not vote for today's action, and early indications are that most are turning up for work as usual. We have rigorous contingency plans in place, services appear to be working well and we expect most schools and job centres to open their doors," a Cabinet Office spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    AAP congratulates Modi

    AAP congratulates Modi
    The Aam Aadmi Party Monday congratulated Narendra Modi on becoming India's 14th prime minister and asked him to live up to people's expectations.

    AAP congratulates Modi

    Narendra Modi sworn in as 15th Prime Minister, promises 'strong and inclusive India'

    Narendra Modi sworn in as 15th Prime Minister, promises 'strong and inclusive India'
    With the setting sun forming a magnificent backdrop, India got a new prime minister Monday as Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, 63, took oath Monday in a 90-minute, open-air, business-like ceremony in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, attended by leaders of eight neighbouring countries.

    Narendra Modi sworn in as 15th Prime Minister, promises 'strong and inclusive India'

    Nawaz Sharif's India visit: Sand artist creates image on peace

    Nawaz Sharif's India visit: Sand artist creates image on peace
    Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik Sunday created a sand sculpture on peace in Odisha ahead of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to India.

    Nawaz Sharif's India visit: Sand artist creates image on peace

    It's official: Modi to merge ministries, Small, compact Cabinet shaping up

    It's official: Modi to merge ministries, Small, compact Cabinet shaping up
    A small and compact cabinet under Narendra Modi appeared to be taking final shape Sunday, with BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj likely to get the top posts, according to party sources.

    It's official: Modi to merge ministries, Small, compact Cabinet shaping up

    AAP to think small again: Focus on Delhi, may not contest Haryana

    AAP to think small again: Focus on Delhi, may not contest Haryana
    Stung by its rout in the general election, where it won only four out of 440 Lok Sabha seats it contested, all of them from Punjab, the AAP is now back to thinking small and may not contest assembly elections in Haryana scheduled for this October.

    AAP to think small again: Focus on Delhi, may not contest Haryana

    History will be made Monday as Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi takes oath

    History will be made Monday as Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi takes oath
    It would be history in the making, in more senses than one. A man who once helped his family make ends meet by vending tea at a railway station in between his classes, and who once wandered around the country to find his spiritual moorings, will take his oath as India's 14th prime minister

    History will be made Monday as Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi takes oath