THE leader of the TUC delivered a blunt message to the Government on public sector wages, saying decent rises for millions of workers could be afforded.

General secretary Brendan Barber said it was not fair that families on low incomes were living in fear of a cold winter, while energy firms posted huge profits.

Back in July, council workers across Lancashire staged a 48-hour walk-out in protest at a 2.45 per cent below-inflation pay offer.

In his speech to the opening session of the TUC Congress in Brighton, Mr Barber said: “You cannot create world class services with a workforce battered and bruised by change, sapped of morale by 1,000 reorganisations, and crippled by pay awards that do not begin to reflect the true cost of living.”