London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – To protest massive spending cuts by the British coalition government, unions are planning massive public strikes.
The Trades Union Congress has scheduled a strike for March 26, three days after the release of the budget. The TUC expects at least 1 million members to join the mass action and demonstrations. Union leaders met over the weekend to look into the possibility of coordinating strikes.
The strike threat made British Chancellor George Osborne issue a warning that the government could change the union law around strikes. However, Osborne added the amendment to the law is a last resort. Talks with the union would be the first option of the coalition government.
It is not only unions that are opposed to the austerity measures. International institutions have warned Britain that the budget cuts are apparently not effective based on the 0.5 percent economic contraction registered for the last quarter of 2010. Experts cautioned that a double-dip recession may loom over Britain.
Among the public events expected to be affected by the planned strikes are the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April. Also to be affected are the unveiling of the results of a pensions review carried out by Lord Hutton in the March budget.
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