Public sector unions have announced three more days of strike action next month, as they vowed to continue the protest over council workers' pensions.
Union officials say council staff in the south of England will strike on April 25, those in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will walk out on 26 April, and workers in the north of England and the Midlands will strike on 27 April.
Unions yesterday expressed their "extreme disappointment" over the government decision to go ahead with plans to scrap rules allowing council workers with long service to retire on a full pension at 60.
A national strike day involving hundreds of thousands of council workers on Tuesday failed to make an impact on the government, as ministers insisted that the 85-year rule will be scrapped on October 1.
This rule allows anyone whose combined age and years of service add up to 85 to retire at 60.
Unions have repeatedly called for existing council workers to be exempt from the changes.
The rest of the public sector workforce have been offered lifetime protection from pension changes being introduced by government.
Last-ditch talks between unions and ministers held on Wednesday failed to reach an agreement.
Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis, criticised the government for its decision to lay down the parliamentary orders necessary to implement the changes yesterday, even though it had until the summer to do so.
"The government is proposing to abolish the rule of 85 from October this year," Mr Prentis said.
"An order to this effect doesn't need to be laid until the summer recess in July. This delay would have allowed further talks to take place.
"These proposals have clearly been rejected by the deputy prime minister. This will simply increase our determination to see this dispute through."
