TUC Congress: Pensioners 'should occupy council buildings to protest cuts' She said: "I am in favour of direct action, sit in the road, things like that, go into the lobby of the town hall, mob handed, and say 'we are not going to move'." Her call was backed by other union leaders at the TUC's annual conference. At another fringe meeting, Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, called for early 1980s-style occupations of schools and hospitals. Mr Wrack said: "In the early years of the Thatcher government we occupied the hospitals. That's the sort of thing we should be demanding. When they want to close down a youth centre, when they want to close down a school or a hospital, if communities want to occupy them we are going to support them. That's the sort of action we need to take to challenge this government. Labour backbencher John McDonnell MP backed the call for occupations, recalling how Hayes cottage hospital had been one of those occupied in the 80s. Bob Crow, general secretary of the hardline RMT union, called for co-ordinated action, said: "If you spit on your own you can't do anything, but if you all spit together you can drown the b-----ds."" The motion, due to be debated on Tuesday or Wednesday, urges "a coalition of resistance taking coordinated action where possible with far reaching campaigns including the consideration and practicalities of a general strike" in protest over the Government's austerity agenda. Steve Gillan, the general secretary of the Prison Officers" Association which backed the motion, said: "There are real cracks in the Coalition at this time and I think we should stick the boot in and finish them off." The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the Government would not negotiate over pensions or pay. He said: "We have put in place some changes to pensions. We don't intend to reopen those talks. We have put in place a freeze on public sector pay for two years. We don't intend to reopen that decision. Last night Labour leader Ed Miliband suggested that union leaders should not strike but he declined to say if he would back any strikes. He told the TUC annual dinner in Brighton: "It's what's happening in our economy that makes so many people angry with the government. The question is how best to get them to change course? The public doesn't want to see strikes. Nor do your members. Nor do you.