Speaking at Labours' annual spring conference in Blackpool last week, he revealed that the leader of the Tory led local government employers, Sir Sandy Bruce Lockhart, is refusing to negotiate on protecting pensions "even if it does not cost the employer a penny".

He appealed to delegates sense of fairness, reminding them that other public service workers have had their existing pension rights protected.  "Police officers are protected but not scene of crime officers, teachers are protected but not teaching assistants, members of the local government scheme, 72% of them women in mainly in low-paid jobs, arebeing denied the same security as doctors and lecturers, he noted.

"UNISON, amicus, T&GWU, GMB, UCATT and other unions are now moving to take industrial action, action none of us wants" said Prentis.  "A dispute involving over a million public servants in the run up to the May local elections will help no one but the very Tories who provoked the problems in the first place".

In a speech given on behalf of all the unions affiliated to the labour party he also talked of the need for unions to "play a full part in Labour's renewal strategy".

"We need to build the progressive consensus to win a fourth term, reaching out to trade union members once again and encouraging them to get involved in our party".