Dai Hudd, Deputy General Secretary, said: “This consultation is a bogus and unprincipled exercise in that the Government is unlikely to take any account of responses to the consultation.

“It is unjustified in that we are engaged in talks to look at medium and longer-term changes to pensions and this cuts right across the process. These increases are a crude tax on public sector workers dressed up as pension reform.

“The actuarial costs of these schemes are projected to fall, not increase, despite the Government’s cynical attempt to sway public opinion by distorting statistics.”

Hudd went on to say:

“Along with the majority of unions we want to explore every opportunity to arrive at an agreed outcome on what is a difficult and complex issue. But if these talks fail we will have no hesitation in balloting for wider industrial action as part of a sustained campaign against these changes right across the civil and public services.”