Union leader in battle call over cuts

Dave Prentis, general secretary of the public sector union Unison, warned of a campaign of industrial action “without precedent”, involving more than a million workers which he predicted would “weaken” the Government.

He launched a savage attack on the coalition, saying public sector workers had been subjected to “shabby treatment” at the hands of the “wretched” Government.

Mr Prentis also accused Labour of “building a bridge” the Tories were now marching over, adding that Unison should only support Labour candidates who backed the union.

He described his keynote speech to Unison’s annual conference in Manchester as a “call to arms”, urging the 2,000 delegates to prepare for action when they returned to their region.

“The fight of our lives may be an overused cliche, but this is what this is. A fight we can win, must win – and will win.”

He called on Ministers to stop “demonising” hardworking people, who he said had had enough of being bullied, adding that the Government’s controversial pension reforms were “daylight robbery”.

Unison would also stand behind the teachers and civil servants going on strike on June 30, pledged Mr Prentis