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Hundreds of thousands of British public sector workers went on strike Thursday to defend their pensions, causing widespread disruption to schools and state-run services.
A third of English schools were closed and another third were affected, officials said, as up to 350,000 teachers, lecturers and education staff took action against plans to make them work longer and pay more into their pensions.
Tax offices, museums and job centres were also brought to a standstill as a further 100,000 civil servants walked out on the first nationwide day of strike action since the coalition government took office last year.
However, airport operator BAA said feared delays at London Heathrow because of a walkout by immigration and customs staff failed to materialise, and ministers said only half the civil servants who could have downed tools actually did so.
Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the labour changes are fair but inevitable, warning this week that the pension system is "in danger of going broke" faced with an ageing population.
Francis Maude, the minister who oversees the civil service, told BBC radio on Thursday: "You cannot continue to have more and more people in retirement being supported by fewer and fewer people in work. Long-term reform is needed."
But the unions say they have already accepted pension reforms over the past decade and accuse ministers of pushing through new changes without negotiation.
A third of English schools were closed and another third were affected, officials said, as up to 350,000 teachers, lecturers and education staff took action against plans to make them work longer and pay more into their pensions.
Tax offices, museums and job centres were also brought to a standstill as a further 100,000 civil servants walked out on the first nationwide day of strike action since the coalition government took office last year.
However, airport operator BAA said feared delays at London Heathrow because of a walkout by immigration and customs staff failed to materialise, and ministers said only half the civil servants who could have downed tools actually did so.
Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the labour changes are fair but inevitable, warning this week that the pension system is "in danger of going broke" faced with an ageing population.
Francis Maude, the minister who oversees the civil service, told BBC radio on Thursday: "You cannot continue to have more and more people in retirement being supported by fewer and fewer people in work. Long-term reform is needed."
But the unions say they have already accepted pension reforms over the past decade and accuse ministers of pushing through new changes without negotiation.