Unison is to ballot public sector workers over government plans to make changes to local government and NHS pensions.†
Ballot papers will be posted to 1.1 million public sector workers.
Unison is urging union members to vote for strike action and to join the public service strike on 30 November.
The call for strike action follows the government’s announcement in July to increase employee pension contributions in order to meet target savings set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review for 2012-13.
Dave Prentis, general secretary at Unison, said: “All along, we have been hoping for the best, but planning for the worst. And the worst is happening.
“Eight months of talks have got nowhere – government ministers are just not listening.
“We know our members will not take this decision lightly, they dedicate their entire lives to caring for other people. But they have been pushed too far.
“Government ministers want to save £4 billion from public sector pensions. And they want our members to make up that money by paying more and working longer for a pension that will be worth less.
“This is not fair, and it is not necessary. Both the local government and the health scheme our members save into are cash-rich and financially-sound. They do not need this drastic change.†
“It is nothing more than a tax on public sector workers to help pay down the country’s deficit that they did nothing to cause.”
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