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| The Times, by Gary Duncan, 9 December 2005 |
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| UNIONS renewed threats of strike action last night after Gordon Brown fuelled speculation that ministers will try to unpick a deal to preserve millions of public sector workers' right to retire at 60. |
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| In his latest swipe at the deal struck with unions by Alan Johnson, the Trade and Industry Secretary, Mr Brown said this was a "framework" agreement and all issues were still open. |
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| "The negotiations on this are not completed. There are sector-by-sector negotiations ...I think it is possible that all things will be looked at in the sector-by-sector negiotations," he told the Commons Treasury Committee. |
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| Pressed by Opposition MPs, the Chancellor refused to answer directly whether these further talks meant that some of the 3.5 million affected state employees may end up having to work beyond 60. |
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| But he stuck by his stance that the talks were decisive as he was pressed by David Ruffley, a Conservative committee member, about a Trade and Industry Department press notice which spelt out in small print that these further negotiations could water down Mr Johnson's framework deal. |
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| The statement said public sector staff would "have the right to suffer no detriment in terms of their normal retirement age...unless individual or collective agreements within sector specific negotiations are reached". Unions reacted angrily and said strikes were in prospect if the Government reneged on the deal. |
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| In the summer unions threatened a national strike bigger than the 1926 General Strike unless ministers honoured pledges not to raise the retirement age. |
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