The economy being the way it is combined with an ageing population means we all need to tighten our belts. The problem naturally comes when it is your belt that needs to be tightened

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I can understand their disappointment but equally I pay out 1.25k in tax each month (single, no kids), so I don't have too much sympathy. Everything for me has jumped up in price recently and workload has also increased due to downsizing. Pension options suck so I'm investing in property where I can.
The point is people in the private sector have it much worse. My father, for example, has nowhere near the pension he was expecting to receive.
Just because people work in the public sector does not mean they don't need to collectively pull their weight to keep the country on track. Can't have "yes, we are in it together, just not me guv" attitude.
As an aside a day long strike isn't going to have much impact at all.