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NEWS & LETTERS, March 2004Our Life and Times by Kevin A. BarryBritish job protestIn the largest public sector job action in over a decade, 100,000 British government workers struck for 48 hours on Feb. 16-17, shutting down many government offices, especially in the social services sector. At least 10,000 government workers receive only $19,000 per year. To survive, many have to apply for the very social benefits they administer. Tony Blair’s neo-liberal government offered almost nothing on wages, but wants to establish a new "evaluation" system for workers. In a move reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher, the government attempted to intimidate workers by a strategic leak to the FINANCIAL TIMES on the day the strike began. According to the newspaper story, the government was considering a "reform" of the civil service that would eliminate 80,000 jobs. |
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