Construction workers in local authorities are preparing to strike over government plans to raise the retirement age to 65.
Around 70,000 construction workers employed by councils are set to strike this month in a row over pensions.
The workers, which include those represented by UCATT, Amicus and the GMB, were part of a national ballot of 1.5m public sector workers that voted overwhelmingly in favour of strikes to take place on 28 March. The strike, set to be Britain's biggest industrial walkout since 1926, is in protest against planned cuts to the local government pension scheme.
The dispute centres over the government's attempts to remove the so-called '85-year-rule' from October. The rule allows workers to retire at 60 on a full pension if their age and years of service total 85. The government wants to raise this age to 65.
UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie said: "Our members work in a pressurised and physical part of local government, the nature of the work they undertake impacts on their health. That is why it is important to retain the right to retire at 60 years on a full pension."
