2011 : A year in news

At the end of November thousands of public sector workers participated in one of the biggest strikes the UK has seen in decades.

Ostensibly, the workers voted to strike over proposed reforms to their pensions, although some interpreted the industrial action as a rebuke to the Coalition from civil servants angry that the public sector is being subjected to unfair budget cuts. 
 

The unions claim that around two million workers went on strike but this figure is disputed by the Government, who argue that only just over a quarter of public sector employees didn’t show up for work on 30th November 2011.

The chaos that was predicted for many of our essential services – schools, hospitals and airports – failed to materialize.
 

In December the Government secured an outline agreement with the majority of public sector trade unions over the pension reforms but further strike action in the New Year cannot be ruled out.