Post by brillbilly on Sept 15, 2011 2:08:34 GMT 10
Plans for the biggest outbreak of industrial action since the 1926 General Strike have been condemned as "an affront to hard-working taxpayers".
A series of coordinated walkouts from late November could close schools, ground fire engines and leave dustbins unemptied.
Unions have made a series of announcements about strike ballots at the TUC Congress in London.
The strike ballots were described as "disappointing" and "irresponsible" by Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman.
Confirmation of the ballots came as figures showed that unemployment had increased at the highest rate for nearly two years.
Unison, Unite and the Fire Brigades Union all gave notice of ballots in the worsening row over pensions and launched angry attacks against the Government.
They are among 10 unions expected to ballot for action today.
Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis , said 9,000 separate employer groups would be involved in the action, describing the ballot as "unprecedented" in scale.
He told the congress meeting that unions were involved in the "fight of our lives" over the Government's controversial reforms of pensions.
The reforms would mean that workers would pay an extra 3.2% in contributions.
Delegates gave Mr Prentis a standing ovation after his ballot announcement.
Sky's Jon Craig said the strikes, involving "millions of people", would impact schools and colleges, as well as refuse collection and other key services.
"Parents worried about childcare are facing schools closing in November - I think classroom chaos is what we can expect actually," Craig warned.
Civil servants, teachers and lecturers have already voted to strike.
Francis Maude , the Cabinet Office minister who is leading negotiations for the Government, has said he is not trying to provoke unions into industrial action.
Any strike call will be greeted with little enthusiasm from workers and even less sympathy from the general public, he claimed.
"We don't want strikes and the public will be very fed up if there are widespread strikes which close schools and affect health services and transport," said Mr Maude.
"If they were to do this during a time when the global economy is flatlining, that would be a self-inflicted wound for Britain.
"People who are struggling to pay their bills and paying more towards public sector pensions in many cases than they are paying towards their own pensions will be mightily fed up if there is unnecessary strike action," he said.
Brian Coleman, chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, said: "The FBU's decision to ballot for industrial action at this time is an affront to hard-working taxpayers across the country.
"Negotiations on changes to firefighter pensions are still going on and yet the FBU is already resorting to its usual bully-boy tactics."
Labour leader Ed Miliband was booed on Tuesday when he told the TUC Congress that strikes over public sector pensions were a mistake.
He said he understood why millions of workers were angry, adding: "But while negotiations were going on, I do believe it was a mistake for strikes to happen. I continue to believe that.
"What we need now is meaningful negotiation to prevent further confrontation over this autumn.
"Strikes are always the consequence of failure. Failure on all sides. Failure we cannot afford as a nation. Instead your real role is as partners in the new economy."
The exact wording of today's motion for action is as follows: "...give full support to industrial action against pensions cuts, including action planned for this autumn, and maximise its co-ordination."
Meanwhile, Employment Minister Chris Grayling told Sky News: "I very much regret what the unions are saying at the moment.
"The truth is that there is a huge gulf between the pensions available today in the public sector and those available in the private sector.
"It is simply not realistic to believe that there can be no change, particularly at a time when people are living longer and so the cost of pensions is rising and rising."
uk.news.yahoo.com/unions-look-poised-winter-strikes-030433767.html
bleak horizon
A series of coordinated walkouts from late November could close schools, ground fire engines and leave dustbins unemptied.
Unions have made a series of announcements about strike ballots at the TUC Congress in London.
The strike ballots were described as "disappointing" and "irresponsible" by Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman.
Confirmation of the ballots came as figures showed that unemployment had increased at the highest rate for nearly two years.
Unison, Unite and the Fire Brigades Union all gave notice of ballots in the worsening row over pensions and launched angry attacks against the Government.
They are among 10 unions expected to ballot for action today.
Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis , said 9,000 separate employer groups would be involved in the action, describing the ballot as "unprecedented" in scale.
He told the congress meeting that unions were involved in the "fight of our lives" over the Government's controversial reforms of pensions.
The reforms would mean that workers would pay an extra 3.2% in contributions.
Delegates gave Mr Prentis a standing ovation after his ballot announcement.
Sky's Jon Craig said the strikes, involving "millions of people", would impact schools and colleges, as well as refuse collection and other key services.
"Parents worried about childcare are facing schools closing in November - I think classroom chaos is what we can expect actually," Craig warned.
Civil servants, teachers and lecturers have already voted to strike.
Francis Maude , the Cabinet Office minister who is leading negotiations for the Government, has said he is not trying to provoke unions into industrial action.
Any strike call will be greeted with little enthusiasm from workers and even less sympathy from the general public, he claimed.
"We don't want strikes and the public will be very fed up if there are widespread strikes which close schools and affect health services and transport," said Mr Maude.
"If they were to do this during a time when the global economy is flatlining, that would be a self-inflicted wound for Britain.
"People who are struggling to pay their bills and paying more towards public sector pensions in many cases than they are paying towards their own pensions will be mightily fed up if there is unnecessary strike action," he said.
Brian Coleman, chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, said: "The FBU's decision to ballot for industrial action at this time is an affront to hard-working taxpayers across the country.
"Negotiations on changes to firefighter pensions are still going on and yet the FBU is already resorting to its usual bully-boy tactics."
Labour leader Ed Miliband was booed on Tuesday when he told the TUC Congress that strikes over public sector pensions were a mistake.
He said he understood why millions of workers were angry, adding: "But while negotiations were going on, I do believe it was a mistake for strikes to happen. I continue to believe that.
"What we need now is meaningful negotiation to prevent further confrontation over this autumn.
"Strikes are always the consequence of failure. Failure on all sides. Failure we cannot afford as a nation. Instead your real role is as partners in the new economy."
The exact wording of today's motion for action is as follows: "...give full support to industrial action against pensions cuts, including action planned for this autumn, and maximise its co-ordination."
Meanwhile, Employment Minister Chris Grayling told Sky News: "I very much regret what the unions are saying at the moment.
"The truth is that there is a huge gulf between the pensions available today in the public sector and those available in the private sector.
"It is simply not realistic to believe that there can be no change, particularly at a time when people are living longer and so the cost of pensions is rising and rising."
uk.news.yahoo.com/unions-look-poised-winter-strikes-030433767.html
bleak horizon