Unions today warned that strike action was "now on the cards" in light of new proposals for short-term changes to local government pension schemes.
The employer proposals were worse than those the unions threatened strike action over in March and require employees to pay extra contributions, union leaders said.
Strikes would be on the cards if the government accepted the employers' plans, warned Unison, the GMB, the T&G, Amicus, Ucatt and the probation officers' union, Napo.
They will now seek urgent meetings with government ministers during next week's Labour party conference in Brighton.
Paul Kenny, acting general secretary of the GMB, said: "This is typical of the treatment of public sector workers, who are being led uphill and down dale.
"People must understand, appreciate and value the contribution that public servants make to our society. If politicians fail to understand that, we are in for a very bumpy ride."
The salvo is the latest sign of determination by trade unions to defend against any unfavourable changes to public sector pension schemes being proposed by government.
The Employers' Organisation and the Local Government Association meanwhile denied that any proposals had been tabled at a tripartite meeting yesterday.
Local government unions have been meeting periodically with employer representatives since the government backed down on plans to push through new pension arrangements for around 2 million workers from April last year to ward off strike action.
Just weeks ahead of this May's general election, the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, agreed to revoke plans to raise the local government pension age to 65 and abolish the so-called 85 year rule, which allows council staff to retire as early as 55 if their years of service and age add up to 85.
Meanwhile, public sector colleagues working in the civil service, health and education retire at 60.
A government-commissioned report leaked in today's Financial Times shows that about 90% of council staff retire at 60 in England and Wales under the 85-year rule.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said today that the demographic report on the local government pension scheme in England and Wales from Hymans Robertson would form part of the "evidential base" gathering currently being undertaken by ODPM, the LGA and trades unions who make up the tripartite committee.
"Its findings will inform forthcoming committee discussions on what changes need to be made to the scheme to ensure its ongoing sustainability and affordability," an ODPM spokesman said.
Unison is today spearheading a "council of war" to discuss how to take forward the campaign against controversial plans to change the pension age of millions of public sector workers.
Unison, the largest public sector union which represents staff in health, local government and education, has gathered activists from across the union's 1,200 branches to discuss plans for the next stage in the dispute, which could lead to the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in Britain since the 1926 General Strike.
Dave Prentis, Unison's general secretary, said: "We're calling this summit to make sure that our activists are fully informed and able to plan for any campaign of industrial action. Strike action is always a last resort but we have to be ready. We are willing to negotiate but unless we can secure viable worthwhile pensions for our members we may be forced in to it."
"We will use next week's Labour party conference to push our case for fair, decent pensions."
