Unions to strike over pensions

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, told BBC News the unions would continue to negotiate with the government and that industrial action is a last resort. A spokesperson for the Trades Union Congress (TUC) told Reuters earlier today: "The meeting is to discuss industrial issues, the main ones being pay and pensions." Public sector workers are facing cuts to their pension payouts and increased levels of contributions, as well as pay freezes, as part of the government's austerity measures.