Unions to ballot on nationwide pension strikes

Britain is facing the threat of mass walkouts by public sector workers after the biggest unions announced strike ballots over pensions.

Unison, Unite, the GMB and the Fire Brigades' Union will consult members about co-ordinated industrial action starting in November.
Unison's leader Dave Prentis told the TUC's annual conference the strikes would involve the "fight of our lives".
But the government said widespread action would leave the public "angry".
Ministers are seeking increases in pension contributions from next April, while millions of workers continue to face a pay freeze.
The coalition argues that rises in payments are fair and will make schemes sustainable despite an ageing population.
'This is it' Proposing a motion backing mass strikes to the TUC conference, Mr Prentis revealed he was giving 9,000 employers formal notice that his union's 1.1 million members would be balloted.
He said: "We've had enough. We've been patient, co-operative and we must say enough is enough.

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Ben Wright Political correspondent, BBC News

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A widespread strike would be bad news for the coalition and Labour.
If there's a co-ordinated walkout of teachers, nurses, bin collectors, fire fighters, care workers and others, the disruption will cause a big political headache and logistical headache for the government.
If voters feel ministers could have averted industrial action with smarter negotiating then it could quickly turn voters against the government.
At the moment, ministers are confident that the public is with them on public sector pension reform and Unison's Dave Prentis predicted the unions would be "vilified" and "attacked" if strikes go ahead.
Which would be a headache for Labour too.
Ed Miliband has tried to distance himself from those calling for strikes - so long as talks are continuing.
That buys him some breathing space.
But Labour is now heavily reliant on union cash and a mass walkout by members could leave the party in a very awkward position.
We're not there yet, and all parties will want this resolved around the table in talks.

"If we don't say it now, they [the government] will be back for more and more and more again.

"We will engage with them... but if they impose change by diktat, we will take industrial action."
He added: "It's the fight of our lives. I know it's an over-used cliché, but make no mistake, this is it."
Mr Prentis, who won a standing ovation from the 300 TUC delegates, was followed by a series of other union representatives, who backed the action.
Gail Cartmail, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: "When the coalition came to power we knew we faced the fight of our lives. We knew they would seek to weaken and divide us.
"While we will never walk away from talks, neither can we sit on our hands. We will support days of action and tactical selective action."
The GMB's Brian Strutton said: "We're not talking about a day out and a bit of a protest. We're talking about something that's long and hard and dirty as well, because this is going to require days of action running through the winter, through into next year, following the government's legislative programme right into the summer."
Public and Commercial Services Union general secretary Mark Serwotka also supported action by "millions" of people, adding: "Marching together we can win."
The Fire Brigades' Union announced the first step towards balloting its 43,000 members, raising the threat of industrial action with no Army Green Goddess cover.
Firefighters last took national strike action in 2003, when Green Goddesses were used as emergency cover, but the ageing military vehicles have since been taken out of service.
'Some progress' The TUC's executive also supported strike action over pensions, which the conference backed unanimously.

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Francis Maude: ''Unions need to think about the effect on the public and the effect on the economy''

Unions and the government have been in talks over contribution rises since the beginning of the year.
The prime minister's spokesman said: "The best way forward is to continue with talks. We should have a constructive dialogue with the unions.
"It is disappointing that there are calls for industrial action when talks are ongoing. Public sector pensions are among the best available."
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, who is leading the pension negotiations for the coalition, said: "The unions' own members want to be going to work. They don't want to give up a day's pay at a time when we are all of us working under constraints.
"Unions need to think about the effect on the public and the damage that will be done to public sympathy for the public sector."
Mr Maude said talks over pensions had made "some progress" since they started nine months ago, but unions needed to demonstrate "proper engagement".
Widespread strikes would leave the public "disappointed and angry", he added.
For Labour, shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: "I hope there won't be strikes."
But he added: "I totally understand people saying 'If there isn't a fair deal, then we are going to vote yes in a ballot'."
Neil Bentley, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said: "Strikes cause major disruption for families and businesses, and mass strike action would mean thousands of parents forced to take a day off work to look after their children. We urge union leaders to get round the table with the government and negotiate on the details."
Labour leader Ed Miliband was heckled at the TUC conference on Tuesday when said a one-day strike in June over pensions had been a "mistake" and urged unions to continue the talks with the government.

taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14907909