Millions of public sector workers are prepared to strike to defend their pensions, the leader of Britain's biggest trade union warned the government today.
Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, made clear that unions would continue to fight controversial proposals to increase the pension age for workers in the NHS, local government, civil service, fire service and other public sectors.
A planned strike was called off before the general election when ministers offered fresh talks, but Mr Prentis warned that "repackaging" the plans would not be acceptable.
Public sector unions are meeting next week for the next round of talks with the trade and industry secretary, Alan Johnson, over the principles of public sector pensions arrangements.
The former pensions minister has kept his negotiating role in the debate on public sector pensions despite moving over to the Department of Trade and Industry.
Separate talks are also going on with relevant departments for changes to the distinct occupational pension schemes in local government, health, fire and the civil services.
The government is facing unprecedented levels of opposition to proposals to reduce the retirement age and end final salary schemes.
Even the moderate Royal College of Nursing has now given its unequivocal backing to the TUC's campaign to protect public sector pensions.
Mr Prentis, who has a 1.2 million-strong public sector membership, told the TUC conference in Brighton today that ministers had underestimated the anger of workers and failed to understand the "outrage" the proposals had caused.
"To those who think that the anger has subsided, I say think again.
"I promise you this, we are stronger and more united than ever before and we will take strike action to defend our pensions. We will fight proposals to increase the pension age and cut benefits and we will fight for pensions that give dignity and security to all our members in retirement."
Mr Prentis said public sector workers on the frontline were praised by politicians for their selfless sacrifice and heroism one day but "let down" the next day.
He complained of double standards where company directors awarded themselves multimillion-pound pensions while local government workers received an average pension of just £73 a week.
Janice Godrich, of the Public and Commercial Services union, said all public sector unions had to continue working together to stop a government "hell bent" on railroading through a compulsory rise in pension age from 60 to 65 for millions of public sector workers.
"The government needs to be clear that we will continue to stand united in our negotiations, our campaigning and, if necessary, in our industrial action."
