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Dave Prentis, Unison: '''The fight of our lives' may be an over-used cliche, but make no mistake, this is it''
Unison, Unite, the GMB and the Fire Brigades' Union will consult members about co-ordinated industrial action starting in November.Unison's leader Dave Prentis told the TUC's annual conference the strikes would involve the "fight of our lives".
But the government said widespread action would leave the public "angry".
Ministers are seeking increases in pension contributions from next April, while millions of workers continue to face a pay freeze.
The coalition argues that rises in payments are fair and will make schemes sustainable despite an ageing population.
'This is it' Proposing a motion backing mass strikes to the TUC conference, Mr Prentis revealed he was giving 9,000 employers formal notice that his union's 1.1 million members would be balloted.
He said: "We've had enough. We've been patient, co-operative and we must say enough is enough.
Brian Strutton GMB
"If we don't say it now, they [the government] will be back for more and more and more again.
"We will engage with them... but if they impose change by diktat, we will take industrial action."He added: "It's the fight of our lives. I know it's an over-used cliché, but make no mistake, this is it."
Mr Prentis, who won a standing ovation from the 300 TUC delegates, was followed by series of other union representatives, who backed the action.
Gail Cartmail, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: "When the coalition came to power we knew we faced the fight of our lives. We knew they would seek to weaken and divide us.
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Francis Maude: ''Unions need to think about the effect on the public and the effect on the economy''
The GMB's Brian Strutton said: "We're not talking about a day out and a bit of a protest. We're talking about something that's long and hard and dirty as well, because this is going to require days of action running through the winter, through into next year, following the government's legislative programme right into the summer."
Public and Commercial Services Union general secretary Mark Serwotka also supported action by "millions" of people, adding: "Marching together we can win."
The Fire Brigades' Union announced the first step towards balloting its 43,000 members, raising the threat of industrial action with no Army Green Goddess cover.
Firefighters last took national strike action in 2003, when Green Goddesses were used as emergency cover, but the ageing military vehicles have since been taken out of service.
'Some progress' The TUC's executive also supported strike action over pensions, which the conference backed unanimously.
Unions and the government have been in talks over contribution rises since the beginning of the year.
The prime minister's spokesman said: "The best way forward is to continue with talks. We should have a constructive dialogue with the unions.
"It is disappointing that there are calls for industrial action when talks are ongoing. Public sector pensions are among the best available."
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, who is leading the pension negotiations for the coalition, said: "The unions' own members want to be going to work. They don't want to give up a day's pay at a time when we are all of us working under constraints.
"Unions need to think about the effect on the public and the damage that will be done to public sympathy for the public sector."
Mr Maude said talks over pensions had made "some progress" since they started nine months ago, but unions needed to demonstrate "proper engagement".
Widespread strikes would leave the public "disappointed and angry", he added.
Labour leader Ed Miliband was heckled at the TUC conference on Tuesday when he told unions that a one-day strike in June over pensions had been a "mistake" and urged them to continue the talks with the government.
The conference, being held in central London, ends on Wednesday.
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