A FRESH wave of industrial action will be held this week against the Government's controversial public sector pension reforms, with union leaders predicting that up to 400,000 workers could be involved.

Civil servants, lecturers, Ministry of Defence staff, immigration officers and members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will be among those joining strikes and other forms of protest on Thursday.

The walkout follows last November's huge stoppage by more than one-and-a-half million workers in protest at the planned changes to their pensions.

Most public sector unions remain opposed to the reforms, which they warned would leave millions of workers having to pay more into their pensions, retire later and receive less when they stop work.

Ministers insist the current level of public sector pensions is unsustainable and reforms are needed, saying workers will still receive decent payments on retirement.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, said: "The Coalition has reduced tax for super-earners while making cuts to vital public services like jobcentres, borders and tax collection.

"Public sector workers have seen thousands of their colleagues sacked, their pay has been frozen for two years, and they are being told they must pay much more, and work for up to eight years longer for smaller pensions.

"That's why hundreds of thousands of workers will be striking on Thursday in opposition to the Government's prescription of austerity and misery that has plunged the UK back into recession."