Bungling Cabinet Office Minister and Con Dem lead pensions negotiator Francis Maude MP yesterday took advantage of an easy ride with sycophantic BBC journalist Andrew Marr to issue an ultimatum that strike action later this month could threaten the "real prospect" of a deal over public sector pension reform http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15810074
Maude claims that the two sides are "so close" to agreement in certain areas yet he reserves the right to withdraw the latest 'offer' and impose a 'settlement' - blatantly seeking to place the unions under duress and demonstrating his contempt for resolving the dispute by agreement.
Now that the balloting phase is over, all our efforts must now shift to 30 November and making the reality of joint union action match the rhetoric which accompanied the ballot campaign. In doing so we can disabuse Maude of his self fulfilling prophecy that unions do not want "prolonged and protracted" action.
Of course we don't want that scenario as an end in itself, but if that's what it takes....
