Workers 'to back pensions strike'

Unison leader Dave Prentis joined Friday's protests

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will strike if a row over pensions changes is not resolved, Britain's biggest union has warned.

Unison chief Dave Prentis said he had "no doubt" 800,000 members would vote to strike on 23 March. If other unions join in, 1.4m people will walk out.

Public service workers are protesting across the UK at plans to raise their retirement age from 60 to 65.

The government says change is needed because people are living longer.

We will get a resounding yes vote, we have no doubt Dave Prentis Unison Q&A: Pension row

Local government employees would be the first affected by the changes in April, but later other public sector workers like teachers, nurses and firefighters face the same changes.

The government says the review is not about cutting pensions, but about sustaining a fair pension scheme and says negotiations are continuing.

But talks between Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, the unions and employers ended after four hours on Thursday without agreement.

Unions say public sector workers are paid less and have more stress at work and say changes have been "rushed through".

Mr Prentis told BBC News his 1.3m members were furious at the plans and said he expected the walkout to be "bigger than the [1926] General Strike".

A bus load of union members circled Parliament Square on Friday

"They have never had high rates of pay, never been the aristocracy of the working class, but they have always expected to have a decent pension when they retire," he said.

Unison will ballot its 800,000 local government members over a one-day strike on 23 March - ahead of a general election widely predicted for 5 May.

Mr Prentis said: "We will get a resounding 'yes' vote, we have no doubt.

"Even at this late stage, we are looking for discussion with the government to avoid that kind of action."

Employees can pay a little more, can work a little longer or can receive a little less. Rob Pinkham Local government employers' organisation

But the Employers Organisation (EO) for local government has accused Unison of deliberately exaggerating the impact of the changes.

EO executive director Rob Pinkham said longer life expectancy meant the cost of pensions was rising.

"Employees can pay a little more, can work a little longer or can receive a little less," he said.

"Those are the only alternatives and nothing Unison does will alter that."

And the British Chambers of Commerce wants the government to go further and increase pension contributions from public sector workers.

BCC president Bill Midgeley said the £600bn cost of public sector pensions was "a massive weight" on taxpayers' shoulders.

Nurses 'reject changes'

Other unions are also expected to hold a ballot.

And action is supported by other bodies - the Royal College of Nursing says nearly all its members oppose raising the retirement age.

"NHS nurses have been sustained over the years by the promise of a reasonable pension at 55 or 60," said RCN general secretary Beverly Malone.

"Taking that promise away will damage morale and make recruiting the next generation of nurses more difficult."

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber is addressing a central London rally of workers on Friday and there will be events across England and in Wales and Scotland.

But a spokesman for Mr Prescott warned that the changes to the local government pension scheme would have to go ahead in April.

Cabinet Office minister David Miliband added that the pension schemes were designed when people only lived 10 years into retirement.

"We have a responsibility to make sure we are able to deliver for these public sector workers in their increasingly long retirement."