Chancellor George Osborne’s further attacks on public sector workers announced in his autumn statement yesterday proved to be the final straw for many workers.
“Yesterday, after what George Osborne said, people were panicking, shoving application forms to join the union under my door. We’ve had a huge surge in recruitment in this region,” said Denise Knutson from UNISON Brighton and Hove local government branch.
Public sector workers began to realise that government ministers’ attacks on pensions were only the beginning.
“We’ve got people who have been members for years and never been on strike before coming out today. People are incensed,” Ms Knutson said.
Ken Hopkins who works for Brighton Learning Disability Services echoed the worries of many of those on strike.
“I work with people who have severe disabilities,” she said: “It’s tough work and we’re not particularly well-paid, so my pension’s not going to be great when I retire anyway. So I’m here to make sure I still have some kind of decent pension when I retire.”
Outside the University of Brighton, Harry Hillery expressed his anger and explained why he was on strike. “When I started working, there were goal posts about pensions. Now it seems they’re changing. I’m very angry about it.”