Britain bracing for wave of strikes

“Are we heading for another winter of discontent?” headlines The Independent, alluding to a massive wave of strikes in winter 1978 to 1979 that brought down the Labour government of James Callaghan. As the extent of Chancellor George Osborne’s austerity drive become apparent, “union leaders will today endorse plans for the biggest show of industrial muscle for two decades”. With reports suggesting that 150,000 posts are being cut in the public sector, including the NHS, police authorities and the fire service, one labour leader has called for a campaign of civil disobedience, suggesting that protesters could block major roads. To attract media attention he said, "we need Batman climbing up 10 Downing Street, and Spider-Man on Buckingham Palace.”