IT is sad that residents in well-paid jobs who work long hours feel they have to strike to be heard, a councillor has said. 

On Wednesday, February 1, Britain faced the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade when seven unions went on strike.

Teachers, train drivers, civil servants, and airport and university staff all took industrial action.

The day reportedly sore 500,000 workers striking across seven unions in the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade, according to the Trades Union Congress.

The combined action comes as talks between the Government and the National Education Union (NEU) to avert the strikes collapsed, and more than 12,000 schools were expected to be fully or partially closed as a consequence.

READ MORE: Test Valley residents struggling financially urged to get help

Train drivers took part in the fresh round of strikes, with drivers from the union Aslef and wider rail union RMT planned walkouts on February 1 and 3.

Cllr Iris Anderson from Test Valley Borough Council told the Advertiser that she is sad people have to take such action.

She said: "Well where do we start railway strikes, nurses, ambulance, school teachers, post office, barristers and some of the staff at Heathrow airport and I expect there are many more that who are on strike.

"My heart goes out to them and a lot of these people are in well-paid jobs and work a lot of hours. It is sad that they have to strike in order for something to be done.

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"When is this going to stop for a better way of living? Electric and gas bills are supposed to be going up again, food has gone up and petrol is going up again. How on earth do we expect pensioners to go on with a cost of living?"

She is urging anyone who needs help to come forward.

She continued: "I know people can go out there and ask for help but I know some people don't because they are very proud. I really do worry about the economy, where this is going to go and where this is going to finish."