Unions representing two million workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have warned employers that their opening proposals in negotiations on the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme are unacceptable. UNISON and other unions with members in the scheme warned that if the government accepted the employers proposals, it would lead to an immediate ballot for strike action.

The unions pointed out that the proposals are worse than those which saw a successful ballot for strike action in March this year. They will seek urgent meetings with government ministers at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton.

"The employers initial proposals are a slap in the face for millions of scheme members who are already shown they are prepared to strike to protect their pension" said Dave Prentis.

An overwhelming vote for strike action in spring saw the government withdraw palns to abolish the 85-year rule which allows members in local government and a range of other public services to retire early if they are 60 or over and have 25 years service.

At the time, the then works and pensions minister Alan Johnson called for a fresh start and real negotaitions on pensions across the whole of the public sector, saying "I think we need to take the time to get this right"

But at a meeting on 22nd September , local governemtn employers in england, wales and Northern Ireland came out with initial proposals dealing only with short-term changes designed to recoup the cost of revocation of the 85 Rule and not the future shape of the scheme as unions had been expecting. They also failed to provide information to back up negotiations requested by the unions since June.

They proposed:

The unions are unanimous that not only have employers opened negotiations with outrageous proposals but that they are attempting to impose an impossible timetable on them.