A candlelit vigil began the 30 November day of action at midnight in Bristol as UNISON members, other union activists and supporters gathered outside the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Workers were loudly applauded by a large crowd outside the city centre hospital as they staged a symbolic walkout before returning to their duties.
Taking part in the event was nurse Ann Price, who said: “I passionately believe in what we’re doing. It’s appalling the way they’re attacking our pensions.
“We haven’t got ‘gold-plated’ pensions, we’ve got pensions that are relevant to the work we do, work that other people don’t want to do.”
The 60-year-old worker said she was concerned at pension changes that would see employees forced to work to 68 in future. “It’s dangerous,” she said.
“My daughter’s a nurse, and to think that she’ll have to work to 68 is terrible.”
One mental health worker and UNISON member, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “We’ve paid for these pensions and we’ve earned them; they’re not a gift. If they make the contributions even higher, it’ll make it so much harder for all of us.”
Activists from the NUT, FBU and PCS unions, as well as Occupy Bristol, joined the vigil alongside UNISON assistant general secretary Roger McKenzie as a day of action against pension changes began across the country.
A healthy crowd braved cold weather and rain to take part in the action at Bristol’s city centre hospital.