But Gordon Brown, born on 20th February 1951 would be fine and could leave his job at 60.  UNISON is using Brown and Blair as an example of how the proposed government changes to the LGPS will adversely affect tens of thousands of low paid public sector workers who were born after 31st March 1953.

Together with nine other unions, UNISON has been trying to negotiate with the government to protect the pension rights of the country's low paid public sector workers.  The union started balloting its members over strike action last week.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said that the Blair-Brown example shows that colleagues working alongside each other could have completely different pension rights because the government is refusing to extend protection rights to existing members of the LGPS>

"It does.t matter how much you paid into the LGPS,what personal sacrifices you made or how long you've worked," he said.  "If you fall on the wrong side if the government's arbitrary date of 31st March 1953, even by a day, then you will have to work an extra five years to keep all of your pension.  "It is completely immoral that the government has protected every other public-sector pension scheme except this one.  Why single out the lowest paid workers for the worst treatment?

The proposals don't just affect people working in local government, LGPS members by also work in housing associations, higher and further education, the police, fire and rescue services, probation, the Environment Agency, the meat HYgiene Service, passenger transport executives, opted out schools and in some private companies and the voluntary sector.

"The majority of LGPS members who have spent a lifetime delivering vital services to their local communities are women, with an average LGPS pension of just £31 a week.

"Its not much, but together with their state pension, it helps to keep these hard working people out of poverty.  "Tony and Gordon don't have that probelm".