Britain's biggest strike in a generation took place on Wednesday, as public sector workers from across the country protested against government plans to change the pension system and cap wage increases.

Unions said that up to 2 million workers, from teachers to UK Border Agency Workers, to hospital and court workers, were on strike as 30 unions joined forces.

They were protesting against measures in the government's austerity drive, which includes raising individual contributions to public pensions, bringing forward a rise in the retirement age to 67, and limiting pay rises to 1 per cent for two years after the end of the current wage freeze.

It is the biggest day of industrial activity since 1979, when 1.5 million people went on strike.

“Living standards of millions and low and medium paid public service workers are being hammered in the name of reducing the deficit,” said Mr Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the Trade Union Council.

Spending cuts

The strike came a day after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr George Osborne, announced that further spending cuts would have to take place, and would extend for two years further than envisaged.

The country's growth outlook has also been slashed, as the independent Office for Budget Responsibility said that the economy would grow by just 0.9 per cent this year, and 0.7 per cent – a sharp decrease on its earlier prediction of 1.7 per cent, and 2.5 per cent respectively.

It predicts that unemployment will rise to 8.7 per cent next year.

Mr Osborne acknowledged the danger of the country slipping into recession without a swift resolution of the euro zone crisis.

However, he insisted the government would stand by its measures, without which Britain's cost of borrowing would be far higher.

“These are fair changes,” insisted the Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron, during a heated debate in Parliament on Wednesday.

While critical of government actions, the opposition Labour Party is not supporting the strike, arguing that strikes are “a sign of failure?”

Nearly 60 per cent of schools in Britain were closed on Wednesday, while non-essential procedures were postponed at hospitals, while picket lines were set up at government offices across the country.

However, disruption at Britain's airports proved less severe than first thought.

Queues and delays at Heathrow were at “normal” levels said a spokesperson, thanks to measures which included airlines cutting down on the number of flights and passenger load.

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