By Linda Young

London, United Kingdom

Proposed cuts to pensions for public workers in the United Kingdom prompted hundreds of thousands of workers, including teachers, police and transportation workers, to go out on strike Thursday.

With one-fifth of public workers on strike, the action has affected schools, public safety and transportation.

Picketing teachers from three unions managed to close or partially shut down more than 40 percent of schools in England and Wales. The unions argue that the proposed changes would require teachers to work more for a smaller pension.

The teachers are represented by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the University and College Union (UCU).

Meanwhile, striking customs officials are expected to cause long delays at the nation's international airports and ports for departing passengers, the UK Border Agency warned.

In addition, about 95 percent of 999 workers failed to show up for work on Thursday. Scotland Yard says it has pulled police officers off their beats to staff the emergency phone system and warned the public to expect slower call times.

With one of five civil workers out on strike, numerous other places are affected by the striking workers including national museums in Wales and parliament in Scotland.

Proponents of the pension cuts say that with people living longer and fewer people projected to enter the workforce in the future, there will be fewer people to support pensioners and it will be a huge burden on taxpayers. In addition, they argue there are unfunded liabilities in the pension system and that covered workers should pay more of the cost of their pension.

Opponents argue that changes to pensions reduce the cost and the amount taxpayers will have to pay. In addition, they say that changes to pensions over the years have left many UK workers without a pension.

Moreover, opponents of pension cuts argue that pensions are long term and public workers are concerned about being impoverished in retirement. In addition, they say that negotiations are not possible when the government says that raising the retirement age and requiring more contributions from workers is mandatory and not negotiable.

 

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World - UK Public Workers Strike Over Pension Changes | Global Viewpoint