In Britain, a strike was called against______. [originaltext] Europe’s debt c

Europe’s debt crisis is starting to bite, and it’s bringing thousands of people onto the streets.
    In Britain, teachers’ and public workers’ unions called a strike Thursday. Thousands of members joined marches against plans to increase the retirement age. Outside Westminster Abbey, where the royal wedding united the country in celebration just 2 months ago, the streets were filled with demonstrators.
    The strike caused long queues at ports and airports as immigration and customs staff staged walkouts. Around a third of schools across Britain were closed, while court trials were delayed.
    The British government has condemned the strikes, saying people are living longer so they will have to work longer too. It’s part of a raft of spending cuts being pushed through parliament to tackle the public debt, currently running at almost $1.5 trillion, or 60 percent of GDP.
    But Britain’s burden pales when compared to fellow EU member Greece.
    In Athens, parliament passed a second vote on Thursday to begin implementing austerity measures worth $ 40 billion. It means Greece will receive the next slice of a $ 156 billion bailout from the EU and the International Monetary Fund. The public reaction has been hostile—polls show 4 out of 5 Greeks disapprove of the measures.