‘Peacemaker’ Clegg to calm union tempers
By Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson
Nick Clegg hopes to act as a "peacemaker" in the growing confrontation between unions and the government.
The deputy prime minister's pledge to resolve the standoff over the coalition's plans for public sector pensions comes eight days before a strike which could see up to 750,000 public sector staff walk out.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union, together with those of teachers' unions, are set to strike on June 30th over increased contributions to their pensions.
"I am sure there are people in the trade unions, I am sure there are people in politics who are bristling for a fight," Mr Clegg told the Telegraph.
"I am so clear about this – we are not seeking to turn the clock back to the 1980s. That is not going to happen and we won't let it happen, this is not a government wilfully looking for confrontation with the trade unions."
Only last Friday Mr Clegg's Liberal Democrat colleague in government, chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, riled union leaders by announcing the government planned to increase the age at which the public sector pension becomes available to 66, in line with the increased state retirement age.
Ongoing talks between the two sides were dismissed as a 'sham' as a result. But Mr Clegg insisted negotiations could still be fruitful, adding: "Frankly, the right thing for the economy is that we solve this through painstaking negotiations and that is what we are going to do."
The Lib Dem leader will face a tough fight as he attempts to bridge the growing divide between the two sides.
There were signs yesterday that momentum towards strike action was growing across the organised labour movement as, at the Unison public services union's national conference, general secretary Dave Prentis promised "a campaign of strike action without precedent".
"When you get back to your branches, prepare for action," he told delegates.
"You have a massive job to do; deciding in regions what action to take, millions of leaflets to distribute, winning the argument with the public, recruiting new members to our cause.
"Strike action will need to be sustained. And the political and public campaigns intensified. The fight of our lives may be an overused cliché, but conference, that it what this is. A fight we can win, a fight we must win, and together a fight we will win."
Mr Clegg's comments came on a visit to Brazil, where he has been leading a delegation of ministers seeking to foster trade with South America's largest economy.
