Unions have written to the deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, to formally reject new pension proposals for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A letter jointly signed by UNISON, the GMB, the T&G, amicus, Ucatt and probation officers union Napo said the proposals tabled by the Employers Organisation are "worse" than the original changes laid down last year, which later revoked to aviod industrial action.

Unions have warned that stike action could again be on the cards as a result of the latest round of proposals, which are due to take effect from next April with little time put aside for proper negotiations.

Prescott agreed to revoke changes to raise the minimum retirement age of workers in the local government scheme to 65, to avert threatened industrial action before the general election earlier this year. Currently, the so called 85 year rule means members of the scheme may take early retirement if they have reached 60 and have 25 years of service in the scheme.

New changes tabled last week proposed increasing workers pension contributions by 1% over the next two years and an end to the 85 year rule, implemented with immediate effect.

"They know what happened in March when they just proposed ending the 85 year rule with protection to 2013. So why would our members accept a much worsepackage now? said Heather Wakefield, UNISON's head of local government and lead staff side negotiator.

Despite a promise from Prescott that pensions changes would be implemented after a proper period of consultation, unions have been given just 3 weeks to wrap uo negotiations on the local government pension scheme.

Prescott has ruled that a separate set of discussions on the principles that should govern changes to public-sector pension schemes in general, should exclude local government.

"Why local government workers ,who already have the worst pension provision, should be treated in this way we can only wonder " said Wakefield.