Union condemns Government pensions comments

The FDA has reacted furiously to recent comments on public sector pensions by Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in advance of his speech to the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) think tank this afternoon.

The union's general secretary, Jonathan Baume, said: "The Chief Secretary's comments effectively pre-determine the outcome of the negotiations currently underway between the public sector unions and the Government. This comes just days after Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, condemned unions for taking strike action before negotiations had concluded. The Government cannot have it both ways - either they are genuine about negotiations or they are not."

Baume pointed out that today's development comes on top of a Treasury briefing document released earlier in the negotiations, which "almost derailed discussions".

He added: "I am rapidly coming to the view that these negotiations are doomed to failure while the Treasury is in the driving seat, and it is increasingly inevitable that there will be widespread industrial action across the public sector, which would be likely to include the FDA."

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: "I have found over many years that if you are seriously trying to build trust to settle a difficult dispute, you should Talk honestly and openly inside the negotiating room and exercise self-restraint outside."

Read the FDA's press release
FDA reacts with fury to Treasury statement on public sector pensions

(Below) FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume.