03 November 28 days before the pension strike ,its the government that has blinked first. A day before Unison announces that a million of its members will be on strike on November 30th after they voted for strike action, Danny Alexander puts a 'final' offer on the table.

The NSSN understands that the unions have to seriously consider any concession given by the government. But this offer should be totally rejected. It would still mean that the vast majority of public sector workers would still have to pay more into their pension, get less out and wait longer to get it. Any increase in contributions will be on top of a longstanding pay freeze. Many workers have actually suffered a pay cut, some up to thousands of pounds because of changes to contracts over the last year. Its a clear attempt to divide older, longer-serving workers from the rest. Just on the imposition of CPI being the inflation measure for pension increase in retirement, all pubic sector workers and pensioners will see their pensions cut by up to 20%.

They also say that this deal would protect workers going forward. Who could trust this government, particularly with the economic crisis threatening Europe and the rest of the world? Workers in Ireland and Greece have seen their governments come back countless times for more and more concessions to pay for a crisis caused by the bankers not working people and the poor. Public sector workers thought that they'd agreed a deal in 2005-06 with the then Labour government...just 5 years ago! Now the ConDems are back for more.

The unions should take confidence from this 'offer'. It confirms that the government are terrified of the prospect of up to 3 million workers striking on November 30th. This will be the biggest strike for 85 years - bigger even that the first day of the 1926 general strike. This government can be defeated and forced into a total retreat on pensions and open the door to all the other grievances angering workers - redundancies, pay and the cuts.

The NSSN supports the words of PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka, "Any new offer is always welcome but the latest concessions are only marginal and would still force public servants to pay more in and work longer for less in retirement...It should be remembered that this latest offer was only wrung out of ministers by the threat of mass industrial action on 30 November, and following our successful strike with other unions in June. We will look at the details to see how they affect our members, but we continue our plans to make 30 November the biggest strike we have ever seen."

All attention must be on fighting to win the remaining ballots for an overwhelming YES vote. The preparations for the picket lines, rallies and demonstrations for N30 must continue and even be stepped up. Cameron, Clegg and Osborne have seen the willingness of workers to fight this year. Over half a million marched on the TUC demonstration on March 26th and 750,000 civil servants, teachers and lectures went on strike on June 30th. On N30 a strike of millions supported by all those affected by the cuts, young and old, can record a famous victory for workers and their family, friends and neighbours.

The NSSN has produced a new leaflet which can be given out in the run-up to N30. Details of local events can be added to it