David Cameron has vowed not to change course in the face of threats of mass strikes over public sector pay at this year's TUC Congress.
Calls for industrial action over the Government's austerity programme, including pay freezes, job losses and other public sector cuts, have dominated talks at the annual meeting of union leaders in Brighton.
Union leaders want a repeat of last November's mass walk-out and the TUC has already planned country-wide demonstrations for October 20.
But the Prime Minister said the Government would not negotiate.
"We have put in place some changes to pensions. We do not intend to reopen those talks. And we have put in place a freeze of public sector pay for two years.
"Again, we do not intend to reopen that decision.
"Threats of strike action and strike action would benefit nobody," a spokesman said for Mr Cameron, who was attending the Olympic and Paralympic victory parade in London.
TUC leader Brendan Barber earlier urged the Government to learn from the success of the Olympics as he made a scathing attack on coalition economic policy.
He told the conference that Britain needs an Olympic-style national crusade to climb out of recession instead of "muddling through".
He said that lessons should be learned from the Olympics on how to rebuild the economy.
Referring to the public investment in the Olympic Park and the fiasco involving private security firm G4S at the start of the Games, Mr Barber added: "It's right to celebrate the Olympics, but it's even more important to learn from them.
"For the central lessons of this summer - that private isn't always best and the market doesn't always deliver - surely need to shape future policy."
Just two weeks before the London Olympics began, ministers were forced to call upon troops from the army to provide security after contractors G4S failed to train up enough staff.
One of the legacies of the Olympics should be to show what could be achieved when there was the courage to do things differently, Mr Barber added.
"Those summer weeks were a time when we really were all in it together. Not because we were told to be. But because we wanted to be.
"Athletes, workers, volunteers, spectators, residents, communities - all pulling together."
Claiming the Government's policies were driving the country deeper into recession, Mr Barber also said that nowhere is the case for change more urgent than on it economic policy.
"It's clear that austerity simply isn't working. There has been no growth since the Government came to power over two years ago.
"In effect the economy has become a gigantic laboratory."
The annual meeting has so far been dominated by talk of a general strike in protest at pay freezes, job losses and other Government cuts.
Business minister Michael Fallon told Sky News it would be "very disappointing" if any mass strike went ahead.
"That completely mis-reads the spirit of this country – we’ve seen the country come together for the Olympics and before that for the Jubilee."
He said public sector pay was still ahead of the private sector, adding: "I really hope they will think again before damaging the economy at exactly the point at which we want it to lift off."
Mr Barber, who stands down as General Secretary at the end of the year, also warned the TUC Congress that Britain is at a historically important crossroads, facing a choice between decline or renewal.
"In one direction is decline, depression and despair. In the other is recovery, regeneration and renewal."
Pointing to parts of Britain with boarded up high streets, pawnbrokers and food banks, he added: "A Britain of stratospheric inequality, hopes denied for millions of our young people.
"Our society is becoming more fractured as benefits are cut for the poor and taxes slashed for the rich."
Frances O'Grady, currently Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, will replace Mr Barber when he stands down from the post, becoming the first ever woman to hold the role.
:: Meanwhile, it was announced that teachers are to take industrial action short of a strike in their bitter dispute with the Government over pay, jobs, pensions and workloads.
