Ed Miliband tells TUC: Strikes over public sector pensions 'a mistake'

The walkouts would be in protest at planned changes to pensions, which will see contributions increase by 3.2 per cent.
An announcement of co-ordinated action is likely to be made following a debate at the TUC Congress in London today, when unions will line up to attack the Government.
Widespread ballots for action are expected to be held, adding to support for strikes already given by civil servants, teachers and lecturers, heralding the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest for decades.
Plans to co-ordinate industrial action will be discussed at the TUC, but sources said a large number of unions were now moving towards balloting for strikes.
Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister who is leading negotiations for the Government, said he was not trying to provoke unions into industrial action, adding that any strike call will be greeted with little enthusiasm from workers and even less sympathy from the general public.


''We don't want strikes and the public will be very fed up if there are widespread strikes which close schools and affect health services and transport.
''People who are struggling to pay their bills and paying more towards public sector pensions in many cases than they are paying towards their own pensions will be mightily fed up if there is unnecessary strike action,'' he said.
Labour leader Ed Miliband was heckled yesterday when he told the TUC Congress that strikes over public sector pensions were a mistake.


Mr Miliband was then given a hard time when he defended academy schools during a question-and-answer session after his speech.
He said two in his Doncaster constituency had made a big difference to education standards.
Struggling to make himself heard over catcalls from the audience, he added: ‘What you need is academies, free schools and other schools working together, much better together.’
Unions are gearing up for more industrial action this autumn, which could involve huge numbers of public sector workers in the biggest outbreak of unrest for decades.
But Mr Miliband warned: ‘In truth, strikes are always the consequence of failure. Failure on all sides. Failure we cannot afford as a nation. Instead, your real role is as partners in the new economy.’
He drew applause for other parts of his speech, including a call for a living wage for young people, and an attack on the high level of executive pay.
Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: ‘Ed is clearly putting the British people at the heart of Labour’s response to the economic crisis.
‘It’s a shame that he couldn’t be more supportive when it came to the issue of industrial action.