Unions representing the bulk of the 5m public sector workforce were due to gather at the Trade Union Congress in central London today to discuss possible industrial action over government plans to overhaul pension schemes.
The unions are expected to ratchet up the threat of taking industrial action ahead of the anticipated general election in May, as part of a coordinated response to government plans to raise the pension age for public sector workers from 60 to 65.
Under further government proposals to overhaul the costly pension schemes, public sector workers face having to pay more to fund pension schemes or lose benefit if they retire due to ill health, union officials said.
Unison, the GMB, and the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) are some of the unions keen to coordinate action.
Some officials are expected to press for joint industrial action, including a one-day strike, with heavyweight union, Unison, already warning that it plans to consult its 850,000 members working in local government over the possibility of industrial action next year.
The Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis, said the aim was to get talks going with government "at the highest level" to protect public sector pension schemes.
"Make no mistake - we will not sit back and allow them to tear our members' pensions to shreds," he said.
The PCS also refused to rule out industrial action as a last resort, in light of the prospective rise in the retirement age, coupled with the suggested abolition of the final salary scheme in exchange for a "career average" deal.
Under the existing final salary scheme, pensions are based on the best year of the last three years of service, with one eightieth of final salary paid for each year of service.
Under the proposed new scheme, affecting everyone under 50, pensions will be calculated on average salary earned throughout the career.
"We have not ruled out industrial action and will be asking PCS members to look at the details and decide what they want to do," a PCS spokeswoman said.
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