Public sector unions have warned that industrial action over pensions reform will continue into the New Year if negotiations with ministers prove unsuccessful.

Following tomorrow’s ‘day of action’, unions representing the four sector schemes, led by TUC general secretary Brendan Barber are expected to resume formal talks - headed on the coalition’s side by Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury and minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude.

![Dave Prentis picture ]2 Dave Prentis: ‘we still have no firm offer that we can put to our members’.

These would be the first central negotiations held since the Government tabled a revised offer on 2 November offering improved accrual rates and protection for staff due to retire within the next ten years. The talks are expected to continue through December.

Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis said unions wanted to agree a settlement, but warned they would be forced to ‘move ahead with plans’ to launch new strikes in 2012 if the Government failed to revise its offer.

Mr Prentis said only a solitary 20 minute meeting to discuss the local government pension scheme (LGPS) was held in November, and complained talks deadlines were ‘unrealistic’.

‘The fact is, we still have no firm offer that we can put to our members, and we are bound by the Tories own anti-strike laws to take industrial action, or our ballot will be deemed invalid,’ he said.