British unions lose appeal over $23 billion pension reform bill

LONDON (Reuters) - Two British trade unions on Wednesday lost an appeal over changes to public sector pensions they argued allows the government to unlawfully pass the 19-billion-pound ($23.7 billion) cost of discriminatory pension reforms onto workers.

The Fire Brigades Union and the British Medical Association argued Britain's finance ministry was effectively making members of newer pension schemes foot the bill for its own mistake.

A judge at London's High Court dismissed the two unions' case in March 2023 and the unions' appeal against that decision was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Sarah Young)