Government Workers Strike in Britain

 　　Hundreds of thousands of medical workers, teachers, border guards and other public sector¹ employees went on strike Wednesday in Britain to protest government plans to reduce their pension benefits.

　　Most public schools and other services were closed Wednesday and many hospitals were only providing essential services.

　　But the intended gridlock at London's Heathrow Airport, Europe's largest, did not take place, mostly due to effective contingency² plans.   The government secured additional personnel to staff immigration desks.

　　Prime Minister David Cameron referred to the action as "something of damp squib,"  and said it was not the biggest in 30 years as organizers had said it would be.  But unions insist that up to about two million workers participated in the nationwide strike.

　　Workers from more than 30 unions protested government plans to reduce a $185 billion budget deficit³ by cutting pension benefits and introducing other austerity measures.

　　The government says the current pension system is no longer affordable⁴ and that people now live longer so it is only fair that they work longer.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。