Unions to ballot on nationwide pension strikes

The UK's biggest public sector union is to ballot members for mass strikes over pension contribution rises.

Unison's leader Dave Prentis told the TUC's annual conference the action would involve the "fight of our lives" for its 1.1 million members.
Extended, co-ordinated strikes could start in late November. The Fire Brigades Union has also said it will hold a ballot.
But the government said widespread action would leave the public " angry".
Ministers are seeking increases in pension contributions from next April, while millions of workers continue to face a pay freeze.
'Can win' Proposing a motion calling for mass strikes to the TUC conference, Mr Prentis said: "We've had enough. We've been patient, co-operative and we must say enough is enough.
"If we don't say it now, they [the government] will be back for more and more and more again.
"We will engage with them... but if they impose change by diktat, we will take industrial action."
He added: "It's the fight of our lives. I know it's an over-used cliché, but make no mistake, this is it."
Mr Prentis, who won a standing ovation from delegates, was followed by series of other union representatives, who backed the action.
Public and Commercial Services Union general secretary Mark Serwotka said "millions" of people could go out on strike, adding: "Marching together we can win."
The TUC executive also supports industrial action.
Unions and the government have been in talks over pension contribution rises since the beginning of the year.
'Disappointed and angry' The coalition argues that rises in employees' payments are fair and will make schemes sustainable despite an ageing population.
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, who is leading the pension negotiations for the government, said: "The unions' own members want to be going to work. They don't want to give up a day's pay at a time when we are all of us working under constraints.
"Unions need to think about the effect on the public and the damage that will be done to public sympathy for the public sector."
Mr Maude said talks over pensions had made "some progress" since they started nine months ago, but unions needed to demonstrate "proper engagement".
Widespread strikes would leave the public "disappointed and angry", he added.
Labour leader Ed Miliband was heckled at the TUC conference on Tuesday when he told unions that a one-day strike in June over pensions had been a "mistake" and urged them to continue the talks with the government.
The conference ends on Wednesday.