2m British workers go on strike

LONDON, Nov 30 (agencies): Two million public sector workers in Britain went on strike Wednesday over changes to their pensions in the biggest walkout for decades, which is expected to cause widespread disruption. Three-quarters of schools were closed, hospitals were only ensuring emergency care, local authorities were paralysed and airports and ports were expected to be badly affected. Striking workers picketed public sector buildings in central London and more than 1,000 demonstrations were expected to take place across Britain in scenes reminiscent of the 1970s. Passengers arriving at London's Heathrow airport, one of the world's busiest air hubs, have been warned to expect delays of up to three hours to have their passports checked as border control officials join the action. The strike will be the biggest test so far of Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative-Liberal coalition government, which sparked the unions' fury by making public sector workers pay more into their pensions and work longer. Anger rose further on Tuesday when finance minister George Osborne targeted the pay of teachers, nurses and soldiers and revealed plans to cut an extra 300,000 public sector jobs as he slashed Britain's growth forecasts. Osborne also infuriated the unions by announcing a two-year, one-percent cap on public sector pay rises. On Wednesday, Osborne said the strike would only harm the economy, and called for unions to return to the negotiating table. "The strike is not going to achieve anything, it's not going to change anything," the Chancellor of the Exchequer told BBC TV. "It is only going to make our economy weaker and potentially cost jobs.