Unions warn of turmoil ‘on massive scale’ in cuts battle

A series of union annual conferences will start later this month when activists are set to express growing anger at the ruling coalition’s austerity measures and discuss industrial action.

The general secretary of the public sector union Unison, Dave Prentis, yesterday accused the Tories and Liberal Democrats of breaking promises since last year’s General Election.

He said: “The economy is still in intensive care, but the Government’s medicine is not working.

“We know that worse lies ahead. After the double bank holiday feel-good factor wears off, the reality of austerity Britain will kick back in. For public sector workers and the people who rely on them, for the sick, the vulnerable, the elderly, the jobless and those seeking to better themselves through education, the future is bleak.

“Unless this Government changes direction, it is heading for industrial turmoil on a massive scale. The Government must understand that Unison will fight tooth and nail to protect and defend public services, and will ballot one million of its members to strike to protect their pensions.”

Public and Commercial Services (PCS) general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Barely a year in, this Government has sparked a wave of popular anger against its ideological plan to blame and punish us for an economic crisis caused by greed and recklessness in the financial sector.

“The cuts are not just unfair, they are totally unnecessary, and there is an alternative.”

The PCS annual conference in two weeks’ time will discuss plans for a national ballot of civil servants for industrial action.