Public sector workers strike over pensions as police march against cutsReported by Metro.co.uk on Thursday, 10 May 2012 (on May 10, 2012)
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*More than 400,000 workers including immigration staff, lecturers and health workers are striking today over the government's public sector pensions, pay and jobs plans, while off-duty police officers are marching against job cuts.
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Public sector workers picket outside a Glasgow passport office (Picture: Getty)
Walkouts are taking place across the country at jobcentres, courts, airports, Parliament, Heathrow Airport and other government buildings, fuelled by yesterday's Queen's Speech in which ministers said they would push ahead with the controversial reforms.
Last November at least 1.5million public sector employees went on strike over plans that unions claim will see workers pay more into their pensions, retire later and receive less when they do stop work.
But Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the latest industrial action was 'futile', insisting pension talks would not be reopened.
'Public sector workers are being asked to work a bit longer and pay a bit more, but they will continue to get a guaranteed pension which is index-linked and inflation-proofed,' Mr Maude said.
'Most staff on low and middle incomes will receive a pension at retirement as good as what they expect today, and for many it will be even better.'
Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said today's strikes would 'build on the high level of anger' on display last autumn.
'Our members believe that the government is attacking their pensions as a means of helping reduce the budget deficit, which has been caused by a greedy City elite, that has brought the economy to its knees. This is blatantly unfair,' she said.
Off-duty Police Federation members march during a protest against spending cuts (Picture: PA)
'George Osborne's austerity plans are beginning to sicken everyone. A work-until-you-drop culture in this country is not because people want teachers, nurses, firemen struggling at work into their 70s.'
As part of today's action, 16,000 police officers donned black caps representing their colleagues who will lose their jobs under government plans in a march across central London.
'The march is the only way that police officers can demonstrate their anger,' said Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers.
'The reality of the cuts to policing is really beginning to bite; numbers are beginning to fall rapidly.
'In the past year alone we have lost over 5,200 police officers from the frontline and we are witnessing the privatisation of core policing roles as chief officers struggle to cope with budget restraints.'
But home secretary Theresa May hit back, saying: 'As a service spending some ÂŁ14billion a year it is right for the police to make their contribution to reducing the record budget deficit.'
She added: 'We will continue to ensure that police officers are rewarded for doing an exceptional job.'
PICTURES: Public sector workers strike across UK
Links:  Full news story
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