UNISON's campaign to protect the Local Government Pension Scheme.
13th January 2012
LGPS Pension Newsletters Issue 11
3rd January 2012
PENSIONS LATEST
UNISON is gearing up to take the pensions campaign forward in 2012 with our third pensions summit, bringing together lay activists from across the union, taking place at the UNISON Centre on 10 January.
All the service group executives involved in the NHS and local government pension schemes will meet on the same day to consider the latest updates from the sector negotiations and decide the way forward.
21st December 2011
A message from Dave Prentis,
UNISON general secretary Local government pensions update (England and Wales)
A set of principles providing "a positive framework" for negotiations on the future of the local government pension scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales have now been given the green light by government. The principles and timetable for detailed negotiations were jointly agreed between unions and the Local Government Association after lengthy talks and submitted to the government.
A letter issued by the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, yesterday contained an unexpected reference to a cap on employers' funding of the scheme, which had not been discussed with unions and has not formed part of the negotiations. This has now been withdrawn and a new letter issued without this reference.
UNISON's service group executives will meet to discuss the proposals at a Pensions Summit on 10 January 2012.
The latest issue of LGPS Campaign News includes the full agreement reached with the Local Government Association (LGA) along with explanatory notes. The government accepted that the LGPS - as a funded scheme with a high proportion of low earners - was different to the other 'pay as you go' schemes and has therefore given the go-ahead for a longer period of negotiation over the short and long-term issues. The government has also agreed to suspend the formal consultation on short-term savings while negotiations take place from January 2012.
This agreement does not apply to the LGPS in Scotland, where there are no current moves to change the scheme. In Northern Ireland the NI Executive has indicated that it is intending to make the same changes as in England and Wales.
There are a number of very important principles for UNISON contained within the framework agreement. These include:
- Zero contribution increases for most members and no change in contributions, if required, until 2014
- Maintain the inherent and relative value of the pension to other public sector schemes
- Prevent opt-out from the scheme and encouraging new members
- Keep Admitted Body Status
- Ensure employers maintain the required contribution levels
- Establish new governance mechanisms at scheme and individual fund levels to ensure good governance and reduce central government intervention
- Negotiation - rather than imposition - of future changes post 2014 - if any are necessary
- Improve efficiency through a review of procurement, fund management and administration
An update on NHS pensions was emailed to activists yesterday. There is currently no agreement on civil service pensions.
Read LGPS campaign news here
Secretary of State's letter
Update on NHS pension scheme
Dave Prentis
UNISON general secretary
Branch Negotiators’ Update
20th December 2011
Welcome to the 1st edition of Branch Negotiators’ Update. This new monthly publication,
Branch Negotiators’ Update, replaces Bargaining Update. Our aim is to provide the
information that Branch Negotiators need in an accessible format. Please send any
feedback to bsg@unison.co.uk
Factsheet on Changes to Employment Law 2012-13 is here
Agency Worker Regulations Factsheet is here
Full TUC Guidance on Agency Worker Regulations is here
Bribery Act Factsheet is here
Public Sector Equality Duty Guidance is here
Background Research and Surveys |
Recent pay settlements by sector is here
UNISON’s Submission to the Low Pay commission is here
IDS Report for UNISON on Regional Pay is here
Red Tape Challenge Government Consultation – UNISON’s response is here
1st October 2011 - National minimum wage rises took effect
The announcement can be viewed here
1st October 2011 - The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 came into effect
More information and guidance on the Regulations can be found here
4th January 2012 - Statutory retirement age ends
Last day on which an employee can make a request not to retire under the statutory
retirement procedure. More information here
8th March 2012 - Parental leave up from three months to four months
More information on parental leave can be found here
Pay Settlements |
Sector | Reference Period | Medium % | Interquart. Range % |
Whole Economy | Aug - Oct 2011 | 2% | 2.4 to 2.0 |
Public | Aug - Oct 2011 | 0 | |
Private | Aug - Oct 2011 | 2.3 | 2.6 to 2.3 |
Inflation |
Reference Data | Reference Period | Growth Rate % | Index |
Retail Price Index (RPI) | Year to Nov 2011 | 5.2 | 238.5 |
Consumer Price Index (CPI) | Year to Nov 2011 | 4.8 | 121.2 |
Average Weekly Earnings (Total Pay) |
Reference Data | Reference Period | Growth Rate % | £pw |
Whole economy | Aug - Oct 2011 | 2 | £464 |
Public Sector (excl financial services) | Aug - Oct 2011 | 1.7 | £468 |
Private Sector | Aug - Oct 2011 | 2.1 | £461 |
Labour Market Statistics |
Reference Data | Reference Period | Level (millions) | Quarterly Change |
Employment | Aug - Oct 2011 | 29.11 | -63,000 |
Unemployment | Aug - Oct 2011 | 2.64 | 128,000 |
Claimant Count | Nov-11 | 1.6 | 3,000 |
Economic Inactivity | Aug - Oct 2011 | 9.33 | -54,000 |
01st December 2011
Dear Friends
Firstly I would like to say thanks to all UNISON members who came out on strike yesterday and also to the non-members who didn’t cross the picket lines a big thank you.
Secondly thank you to all the police officers who have been so supportive, especially the police woman (sorry don’t know your name) who gave the picket line a tin of biscuits (chocolate too!) to keep us going, the officers who made us hot drinks, and all officers who took the time to stop and give us kind words – you all know who you are and on behalf of all my members I thank you.
Last but not least a big thank you to all my UNISON reps across the county who, as always, went the extra mile.
Oh yes thanks to all drivers who tooted and waved and shame on the drivers – all male and not brave enough to stop and come and discuss their views with us – who shouted insults as they drove past.
As always I will keep you updated with any news.
Just a quick bit of information before you go - the Unite union have compiled a “dossier of hypocrisy” that shows how long Cabinet ministers would have to work on the MPs pension scheme to get what local government workers can expect to receive:
*George Osborne would only have to work 1 ½ years to earn a typical LGPS pension of £5,600 a year.
*A typical local government worker would have to work 124 years to get a pension equal to what Communities & Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles would receive if he retired in 2015.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has a pension almost 10 times higher than the average health worker.
*A typical public sector worker would have to work 3 lifetimes to earn Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude’s pension and 2 lifetimes to earn Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander’s pension
These are the entitlements for Ministers in a Government that has the audacity to say our pensions are gold plated!
Kind regards
Caren
28th November 2011
Dear Friends
it now seems highly likely that the planned day of action against pension changes will go ahead on Wednesday.
Thank you all for your support so far and I hope you can join us on the day.
Several non-members have spoken to me about their reluctance to cross the picket line and want to show support by not working on the day.
Official pickets will be at OCC, Kings Lynn police station, Great Yarmouth police station and Bethel St police station.
These will be in place until mid-morning when we will join local rallies.
There are rallies at: NORWICH - assemble 11am outside Norwich City College, Ipswich Rd, march to City Hall, Norwich for rally at 12 noon; KINGS LYNN assemble 12 noon outside the Tax Office, County Court Rd for a rally at 1pm top of Purfleet; DEREHAM - 12 noon outside Neatherd High School, march to Nelson Precinct.
I will of course update you all if there are any changes.
Thank you again.
21st November 2011
Dear Friends
There has been conflicting advice regarding when to strike if you are on shifts.
I have been informed by UNISON HQ that shift workers who wish to strike should leave their shift at midnight on 29th and return on the next shift at midnight on 30th, .
Any problems please let me know.
Kind regards
Caren
Please click here to view leaflet for exact details of the Strike Action.
19th November 2011 It won't be a Tory Tea Break!
17th November 2011
Dear Friends
Please have a read of this document when you get a minute or two.
It’s a quick and easy explanation of key points.
Please consider what you will do on the 30th if we are called to strike.
If you need any support please let me know.
Kind regards
Caren
08th November 2011
UNISON hits back at pensions' strike ballot attacks
UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, has hit back at government ministers and business leaders who are trying to attack the legitimacy of yesterday's strike ballot result, on the basis of turnout.
In the UNISON ballot, 245,358 people – just under a quarter of a million members - voted for strike action, with 70,253 voting against - that is 76% of those voting, choosing industrial action.
Dave Prentis said:
"UNISON is a democratic organisation whose members have the right to vote in strike ballots. There was a 76% vote in favour of action and that democratic decision made by our membership is valid and legitimate and must be respected.
"Democracy in the UK is not perfect, and we all need to look at why turnouts have fallen. But for government ministers and business leaders to question the legitimacy of our result is a bit rich.
"The UK's democratic system gives people the right to vote, there is a consensus that whoever wins the popular vote governs the country. There is no requirement for an absolute majority of all potential votes, or of all votes cast. Indeed, earlier this year the alternative vote was overwhelmingly rejected by the British public.
"If you follow our critics' own logic, they would all have a rather shaky claim to power."
For example:
- In 2010 the Conservatives received only 23% of all votes that could have been cast.
- General Elections do not take into account the estimated 3.5million people who aren't even on the register, with those included Conservative support at the last election falls to 21%.
- In London, Boris Johnson won control of City Hall with only 24% of potential votes.
UNISON members voted overwhelming in favour of strike action, with 76% of members who voted choosing industrial action. In contrast:
. Boris won City Hall with 42% of votes cast . In 2010 the Conservatives received 36% of all votes cast.
08th November 2011
A UNISON summary of the latest proposals
On 2 November a statement was made in Parliament about public sector pensions, setting
out a ‘preferred design’ for the future of public sector pension. This design entails a number
of changes to previous proposals for public sector pension schemes. HM Treasury has
produced a 28 page document containing the proposals but the key changes are as follows.
What has changed
- new “accrual rates” – which determine the amount of pension income you earn with each
year’s contributions – were initially proposed by the Treasury to be 1/80th or 1/100th – which
would be 25% or 40% worse than current accrual rate of 1/60th. The new government
statement suggests that accrual rates should remain the same at 1/60th.
- the previous proposal to raise Normal Retirement Ages in line with the State Pension Age
would have meant some people in their fifties and sixties delaying their retirement plans in
order to claim the pension they had planned for. The new government statement
suggests that anyone within 10 years of their current Normal Retirement Age next
April would be protected from this change, and anyone between 10 and 14 years from
their current Normal Retirement Age would have some tapering protection. However it
is not yet clear whether this would have to be paid for with further detrimental changes to
other workers’ pension entitlements.
What has stayed the same
- as before, contributions will be increased for all pension scheme members earning over
£15,000 a year by an average 3.2% (for part time workers this will apply if your full time
equivalent salary is greater than £15,000), the lower paid will pay less than the average but
many middle and higher paid will pay more.
For the Local Government Pension Scheme ministers are currently consulting on proposals
for contribution increases lower than the average 3% called for, by having a lower average
contribution increase between 1% and 1.5% in exchange for a worse accrual rate than the
standard 1/60th (see above).
- as before, anyone who won’t already be within 10 or 14 years of the current Normal
Retirement Age (as explained above) will now face increases in their Retirement Age,
rising in line with the State Pension Age, rising to 66, then 67, then 68.
- as before, the treasury’s preferred design for all schemes remains a Career Average
Revalued Earnings scheme(CARE) where the pay used to calculate pension is an average
of pay earned by an individual over their membership of the scheme. The treasury is
proposing that the earnings should be revalued in line with average earning increases up to
retirement. This is different to the current Final Salary schemes where the pay used to
calculate the pension is based on earnings near retirement.
With a 1/60th accrual rate CARE scheme there are likely to winners and losers when
compared to a 1/60th final salary scheme. Those members whose salary rises in the final
years of their career or who expect to have access to steady career progression are likely to
receive a lower pension than they otherwise would have. Members with flatter career paths
and few promotions throughout their career are likely to benefit from this compared to a final
salary scheme but this depends on how increases in revalued average earnings compare to
the actual pay increases they receive over their membership of the CARE scheme.
- as before, the pension income received in retirement will be indexed to a new, lower
measure of inflation, CPI, which is lower than the Retail Price Index used currently.
Whilst a welcome movement, this was only a statement of principle and not an offer for your
pension scheme. At present many elements of the proposal are still being scrutinised.
UNISON will continue to negotiate on your behalf right up to 30 November. Until we have a
clear and comprehensive offer we need to keep up the pressure and still proceed with our
plans for strike action on 30 November. If and when and firm offer for your pension scheme
has been received, we will consult UNISON members.
07th November 2011
Dear Friends
Please scroll down to find the official message re the pensions vote.
Regards
Caren
UNISON members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action to protect their pensions in the biggest ballot we have ever held.
Almost 250,000 public service workers including nurses, teaching assistants, social workers, care assistants, paramedics, police staff, school dinner ladies, probation workers and cleaners posted back ballot papers that said Yes to protecting their pensions.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the work you've done in getting that Yes vote.
A total of 245,747 voted Yes, comprising 171,428, or 76% in the local government pension scheme 73,930, or 82% in the NHS pension scheme and 389 or 87% in the principal civil service pension scheme.
Each service group executive - local government, health, police and justice, community, higher education and water, environment and transport - has unanimously agreed to go ahead with strike action on 30 November co-ordinated with other TUC unions.
That has been authorised by the union's industrial action committee.
Despite statements in Parliament, we have not yet received an offer on pensions, but we are willing to negotiate any time, any place.
Individual ballot results can be found on the links below:
Thanks again for the work you have done to protect public service pensions. Now let's keep up the pressure and work to make 30 November a resounding success.
Keep up to date with the campaign by visiting our website at unison.org.uk/pensions/protectour.asp.
Dave Prentis
UNISON general secretary
28th October 2011
PENSIONS TRENDS SURVEY – UNISON RESPONSE
UNISON, the UK’s largest union, said that today’s ONS pensions trends survey* revealed that not enough people are saving for their later years – storing up a huge benefits timebomb for the taxpayer. The survey shows that the real pensions crisis is in the private sector – where membership of schemes has fallen sharply in the last decade.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“This survey shows just how few private sector workers are saving for their retirement. But for top bosses in the private sector, it is a different story. They award themselves generous pensions with low retirement ages, but shut their schemes to staff – leaving them facing poverty in their later years, with the only lifeline – means tested benefits.
“Even though this will cost taxpayers billions, it is used to attack pensions rights in the public sector. These pensions commentators come with a health warning. Their efforts to pit public against private sector worker will spark a race to the bottom, with poverty in retirement for all being the ultimate destination. What our country really needs is a decent pensions deal for all workers.
“UNISON is campaigning for the pensions rights of people in the public and private sector – all workers should be able to save for dignity in their retirement.”
UNISON is balloting more than 1.1 million members across the country – and nearly 100,000 in London - for industrial action over government ministers’ unnecessary plans to make them work longer, pay more and get less in their retirement.
'You have to remind people what you're worth'
(21/10/11) For many UNISON members, the thought of industrial action is scary – not least because many of them have never been on strike before.
And with that comes the fear that any action we take is pointless – that the odds are just too great.
So it's always good to remind ourselves exactly what industrial action can achieve – and here are four brief examples.
In 1888, the workforce at the Bryant & May match factory in London faced 14-hour days, poor pay and fines for various 'offences' – plus serious health problems caused by working with white phosphorus.
But management was a bit put out when an article appeared describing the conditions as akin to "white slavery", and tried to get the workforce to sign a paper contradicting the claims.
When they refused, this became the pretext for sacking one of the workers – and 1,400 women and girls walked out immediately.
Many helped raise money for a strike fund, and a deputation visited Parliament. The management instantly offered to reinstate the sacked worker, but her colleagues decided to demand other concessions, including ending the system of fines that they faced.
Eventually, management agreed to scrap the fines and other deductions – and allow meals to be taken in a different room, avoiding contamination of the food with the white phosphorous.
The women had won – and their action had started a campaign that, a few years later, would see the outlawing of white phosphorous.
When the gas workers of Beckton, East London, took action a year later, in 1889, they wanted something that seems absurdly normal to us now.
They wanted an eight-hour working day.
For some time, skilled workers' unions had been asking for this, but no progress had been made.
Gas workers in Beckton were working a 12-hour day, seven days a week.
But then the so-called unskilled workers started to organise, including the gas workers, and led by Will Thorne, they set about winning that aim by industrial action.
Mr Thorne told a meeting of gas workers: "The way you have been treated in your work for many years is scandalous, brutal and inhuman.
"I pledge my word that, if you will stand firm and don't waver, within six months we will claim and win the eight-hour day, a six-day week and the abolition of the present slave-driving methods in vogue not only at the Beckton Gas Works, but all over the country."
After the speech, 800 workers joined the union. Within a month, another 3,000 had joined.
Mr Thorne was right and the members stood firm. In response to a 'petition', the Gas Light & Coke Company cut the working day without a strike being called. It was the first time in the history of industrial workers that such an agreement had been struck.
At the Ford factory in Dagenham in 1968, the women machinists, who sewed the covers for the car seats, found themselves on the end of a regrading exercise.
It left them classed as 'less skilled production workers', thus meaning that they were going to be paid 15% less than their male colleagues, who were classed as doing 'more skilled production jobs'.
They were joined in their walkout by machinists at Halewood and, as the stock of seat covers ran out, it halted car production.
After intervention from the then secretary of state for employment and productivity, Barbara Castle, the women ended their strike after three weeks.
They had won an immediate increase in their pay to 8% below that of their male colleagues, with the promise of a further increase the following year.
Although the machinists only won a regrading into the higher job category in 1984, after a further six-week strike, their action paved the way for the 1970 Equal Pay Act – the first time that there had been any legal attempt to prohibit inequality between men and women in terms of pay and conditions.
In 2009-10, refuse workers in Leeds went on strike for 11 weeks over attempts to slash their pay.
The Tory-Lib Dem council was trying to use the implementation of equal pay as an excuse for cutting pay by up to a third. It was an attempt to divide and rule that didn't work.
UNISON members stood shoulder to shoulder with their GMB colleagues – and they never wavered.
And the women, whose right to equal pay was being used as an excuse to cut the men's pay, helped their male colleagues, handing out leaflets and campaigning to raise sympathy and understanding among the public.
As Dave Prentis said when the strikers won: "Leeds members have shown what can be achieved by old-fashioned solidarity and discipline. I am proud of them."
It's something that workers down the years have learned – and it's as true today as it was when the matchgirls finally refused to accept their appalling working conditions.
20TH OCTOBER 2011
Dear Friends Hopefully you’re not suffering from pensions overload – and I’ll be sending out more emails over the coming weeks – but with what amounts to a stealth tax, detrimental to each and every one of us, I hope that you will continue to take part in fighting the proposals however you can.
So I’ve attached a selection of model letters for you to have a read and see which one suits you, or cut and paste from one to the other, and then send off to local and national press.
I hope that you’ve returned your vote – if you haven’t received it yet or you’ve misplaced it please ring 0845 355 0845 who will arrange a replacement to be sent to you.
None of us can afford to disengage from this campaign – we need to get the message across that we’ll fight this – if we’re seen to be complacent over this then we won’t have a chance with successfully challenging Winsor.
If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Caren
MODEL LETTER CLICK HERE
11th October 2011
Want a 3% Pay Cut?
Dear Friends
Ballot papers will be delivered to UNISON members in the East from tomorrow so please look out for your envelope and:
· if you don’t want a 50% increase in your pension contribution (which won’t even go into your pension fund but into the Treasury pot) – in effect a 3% pay cut, and
· if you don’t want to wait another 11 years before you can get your occupational pension (now age 55 but will be age 66)
Then please:
· open your envelope straight away, vote ‘yes’ and
· post off immediately.
As I explained in my earlier email a resounding ‘yes’ vote may not even result in the need for strike action but if we are called to strike it is up to you whether you come out or not - voting ‘yes’ does not commit you to strike.
Please use your vote.
Kind regards
Caren
05th October 2011
UNISON MEMBERS - WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE YES
Dear Friends
From October 11th UNISON will be sending a ballot paper to your home address asking you to vote to save our pensions.
Industrial action is always a last resort. It’s not a decision any of us take lightly.
What’s it all about? Please read on…..
· It's a vital part of UNISON policy to ensure that we are provided with a good quality pension scheme that gives us the chance to save for a pension.
· We're now being told that the country can't afford to support our pensions and that we - and other public service workers like street sweepers, school dinner staff, healthcare assistants - have to accept that.
· If you earn above £15,000 - you’ll have to pay more in pension contributions by an average of over 50%.
· This extra money isn't being used to improve our pension schemes for the future - it's going straight to the Treasury to pay for the bankers' crisis.
· Look at it this way - it's the equivalent, on average, of a 3% pay cut!
· We’ll also have to wait until we’re 66 until we receive our occupational pension – an extra 11 years!
· Work longer, pay more and get less.
· We need to send a clear message that we will not accept the imposition of these unfair and unnecessary changes to their contracts.
· That’s why a strong ‘YES’ vote in the ballot is now essential to strengthen our negotiating arm.
· First of all, and most importantly, when you get a ballot paper make sure you vote right away, and make sure you vote ‘YES’.
· And remember that even if you vote ‘YES’ you don’t have to strike – this seems to be the main concern for members – returning your ‘YES’ vote is the important thing.
· However if are a member and want to strike then there will be no problem for you in your workplace because of your decision.
The result of this ballot will be critical to determining how seriously we are taken.
If the government see a resounding ‘YES’ vote this may stop them from putting their plans into action.
If you don’t receive a ballot paper and you think you should have done, ring UNISON’s ballot helpline on 0845 355 0845 as soon as possible.
Kind regards
Caren
CLICK HERE LET'S GET THE VOTE OUT!!!!!
click here PAY MORE WORK LONGER GET LESS
21ST SEPTEMBER 2011
Dear Friends
After 7 months of talking with the Government they still have not put any proposals on the table that we could start to consider. All we do know is that the Government want to raise £900m from our pension to put in the Treasury pot and also raise the retirement age to 66 by 2012. You will pay more to receive less and work longer.
Although talks are still ongoing, it is obvious that we need to start to prepare to take action as it is highly unlikely that an acceptable proposal will be put onto the table. As the laws that govern ballots are lengthy we have to start now or else the Government will change the legislation to what they want and bring it in by April 2012.
There are 29 unions moving towards balloting their members. In UNISON we have over a million ballot papers to distribute. This is a mammoth task so the ballot papers will start to be distributed from 28th September 2011. They will start to count the vote from 11th October with a closing date of 3 November. If a yes vote is returned then action notices will be dispatched to employers on 17th November. 30th November is the last possible date for action if the ballot calls for this.
The question on the ballot paper will be a simple one, it will ask you whether you are prepared to take strike action - yes or no.
Legally we can only take strike action over the pension issues with the Government but we know that the funding cuts, Winsor and transferring our employment to a Police and Crime Commissioner will also have affect pay and conditions.
The union needs you to support them by voting yes. The decision to ballot members has not been taken lightly and something that normally most members would not want the union to do. However this Government are dictating their actions to us mainly via the press and not engaging in meaningful negotiations.
Your ballot paper will come to your home address.
PLEASE USE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE AND ENSURE A GOOD RETURN RATE.
Kind regards
Caren
click here PENSION BUSTING THE MYTHS
click here VOTE YES!
Eastern Regions Pensions Branch UPDATE 1 23/05/2011 click here to view.
Here is the link to the pensions leaflet click here the stock number is 2980 for branches and others to order.
All other briefings and campaign news can be found by clicking here
Campaign news 1
UNISON is stepping up its campaign to protect our pensions as we face new threats from the government's budget cuts.
Campaign news 2
Hutton says pay more, work longer, get less - we organise.
Campaign news 3
Protect our pensions - organise now
Campaign news 4
Parliamentary Committee says public sector pensions are affordable
Campaign news 5
No concessions on pensions but further talks with govenment now planned
LGPS NEWSLETTERS
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 1
18TH JUNE 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 2
19TH JUNE 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 3
04TH SEPT 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 4
06TH SEPT 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 5
11TH OCT 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 6
21ST OCT 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 8
19TH DEC 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 9
21ST DEC 2011
LGPS NEWSLETTER ISSUE 10
4TH JAN 2012
LGPS GOVERNANCE HOW YOUR PENSION FUND IS INVESTED AND MANAGED
WOMEN AND PENSIONS - a guide to the pensions issues facing women
14th July 2011
05TH SEPT 2011 PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS WHY SHOULD YOU CARE
05TH SEPT 2011 WANT TO WORK TILL YOU DROP?
18TH AUG 2011 PENSIONS JARGON BUSTER
22ND JUNE 2011 STOP THE GREAT PENSIONS ROBBERY
21ST JUNE 2011 WE WILL STRIKE TO DEFEND OUR PENSIONS
21ST JUNE 2011 PENSIONS TRIPLE WHAMMY HITS
19TH JUNE 2011 PUBLIC SERVICE PENSION REFORM
21st June 2011
INDUSTRIAL ACTION 30TH JUNE
Dear Friends
Please find below the latest information from HQ regarding the industrial action on 30th June.
The action being taken by our sister unions is the first step in our campaign to defend our member’s pensions. UNISON members and branches are encouraged to support rally’s and demonstrations where participating doesn’t place our members at risk of disciplinary action.
It’s important that UNISON’s members appreciate that negotiations are still taking place with the Government though the offices of the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander). It is anticipated that these negotiations will conclude at the end of this month but thereafter further negotiations regarding implementation of Government policy may be held in national sector negotiating bodies. This matter will need to be considered by the relevant National Service Group and the NEC’s Industrial Action Committee. If a dispute exists then UNISON will respond with an industrial action strategy in accordance with our democratic procedures.
If the strike action by other unions proceeds on the 30th June the following guidance will apply:-
i. UNISON Members should report for work as normal, unless prior arrangements have been agreed with the employer e.g. authorised absence such as annual leave
ii. If the workplace is open then members should only undertake their normal duties and should decline any requests to carry out duties normally done by colleagues on strike e.g. teaching assistants should not cover the work of teachers unless it is already part of their existing contract
An employer may attempt to argue health and safety grounds for making the request if so the matter should be reported to an accredited representative. Branches should make arrangements in advance with the employer to avoid approaches to individuals. If the strike compromises health and safety standards then the employer should be urged in advance to consider whether a site can be safely operated.
iii. Members/branches wishing to show solidarity with striking colleagues by attending demonstrations or standing on picket lines may do so providing it is on their own time e.g. pre or post the contracted working day or during their lunch break.
Any member who chooses to join the strike will be participating in “unofficial action” and consequently will not enjoy the usual protection against dismissal afforded when participating in “official” action such members may risk disciplinary action from their employer.
UNISON is on its own road preparing for industrial action later in the year in the event that negotiations breakdown. The 30th June should be used as a positive step to promote our recruitment and organising strategy.
Fair Deal Pensions
Colleagues
Please see the below copy of the UNISON Briefing on the government’s consultation over Fair Deal, which protects the pensions of public sector workers who transfer to the private sector. Currently under Fair Deal, if you are transferred to the private sector and are a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme, for example, the private contractor must either join the LGPS as an admitted body, or offer you a final salary pension scheme of equivalent value. This means that the private sector and the public sector can compete on a level playing field on cost when bidding for contracts. The Government is consulting on whether to get rid of this pension protection to make it easier for the private sector to win bids for public sector contracts.
UNISON is making a national response to the consultation with the aim of protecting the current entitlements of public sector workers to retain their pension membership and entitlements should they be transferred to the private sector. If Fair Deal is abolished by the government, it will make it almost impossible for the public sector to win bids for contracts, because the private sector will always be able to beat the public sector bid price on the basis that they will offer low quality, cheap staff pensions. If Fair Deal is abolished, and you are transferred to the private sector, you will only be offered a poor quality money purchase scheme, with no guarantee of your final pension.
Branches and activists are encouraged to circulate the below briefing and model letter to their members and ask them to contact their MP using the model letter.
Please let me know if you have any queries.
Ben Priestley
Fair Deal Briefing
Fair Deal Letter to send to your MP
Find Your MP Here
UNISON Pension Strategy Factsheet
Published 16 May 2011
This factsheet informs the union of the agreed industrial strategy in respect of the threats to UNISON member's pension schemes. It includes a question and answer section and a timeline.
Click on each of the below links for information on your Pension
Local Government Pension Scheme 10 Key Facts
Local Government Pension Scheme Myths Exposed
Why the LGPS Pension Tax Must Be Stopped
The 2011 Budget Could Herald the End of the LGPS
11th March 2011 Message from General Secretary Dave Prentice
Your pensions are at risk
You may have seen some of the media coverage today of the Hutton report into public sector pensions. I have been interviewed on national BBC TV, Channel 4, ITV, the Today programme, 5 Live, many regional radio stations and by the newspapers.
I wanted to let you know personally how your pensions are being placed at risk by the government. The coalition government has shown contempt for Hutton.
Even before he finished his inquiry, the government decided to increase your contributions by more than 50%, at a time when your pay is being frozen, inflation is rising and your jobs are threatened with cuts and privatisation.
Additionally, the value of your pension has been reduced because the government changed the method of calculating annual inflation increases so your pension will increase by less than retail prices.
Hutton is recommending that you move from final salary scheme to career average and that you work longer. This will mean a lower pension because it is based on an average of how much you earn each year rather than on your final salary.
And the move to the lower CPI method of calculating inflation undermines the career average scheme, so everyone will be worse off.
You already have to pay more. I am convinced that the government will use this merely to cut costs and benefits. Whatever Hutton says about fairness in his report, it will be used by the government to cut the value of our pension schemes.
These changes are totally unnecessary. Our NHS scheme is cash rich and pays £2bn into the Treasury each year. There are no problems with the local government scheme that would justify this change.
We have already negotiated with the previous government new schemes that reflect people living longer and have made sure they are affordable and sustainable. Talks with the coalition government to protect and defend your pensions will be tough. And we need your support.
If you just do one thing, pass on this message to your work colleagues. If they are not in the union, ask them to join, so we have a stronger voice. You could get involved in activity within the branch or become a pension champion or write to your local MP to protest.
If we cannot make any progress in our talks with the government to get it to see sense, we will have to take very hard decisions on moving to an industrial action ballot.
You can keep informed of developments by looking at our webpage at unison.org.uk/protectourpensions.
But I believe that this issue is so important that I will personally let you know the outcome of the talks. Yours,
Dave Prentis 
General Secretary
Frequently asked questions
Who is involved?
UNISON represents most members of the local government pension scheme (LGPS), including:
Teaching assistants Home helps Police community support officers School meals workers Meat hygiene inspectors Environmental health officers Emergency services control room staff Refuse collectors Key administrators We keep your water supplies clean, your colleges and universities working and your local transport systems running.
Without us, many key public services would grind to a halt.
Three quarters of us are women, many in low-paid, part-time jobs.
Why is this action taking place?
The employers want to change the rules of the local government pension scheme we signed up for, forcing us to work longer or get a worse pension. How is that fair?
In our jobs we find ourselves working alongside colleagues who have their pensions protected, for example teaching assistants working with teachers, emergency services control room staff working alongside NHS paramedics and scenes-of-crime officers working with police officers. Again, how is that fair?
Have there been any negotiations with the government?
Strike action is always our last resort, but the government and employers have refused to listen to our concerns. That is why we are taking action to defend our pensions.
Don't LGPS members retire in luxury on "fat cat" pensions?
No! We have paid 6% of our earnings into our pension scheme all our working lives. Women, who make up three quarters of the pension scheme members, get an average pension of just £31 a week.
Unlike many of our employers, we've never taken a pensions contributions holiday - they have.
For many, pensions fall below means-tested benefit levels.
Life expectancy is going up. Why should members of the LGPS be entitled to retire at 60?
Life expectancy has increased, but not for manual workers. And some jobs we do will be physically impossible over 60. What are we to do?
Won't this cost the taxpayer a fortune?
Actually, it will save the taxpayer around £2 billion.
Approximately 3-4% of council tax goes on the LGPS, but if it didn't fund our members' pensions, we would all have to pay higher taxes for benefits and state pensions for them.
The proposed cuts to the LGPS will cost the government £2 billion in higher state benefits and state pensions. And at the end of the day, that cost would be passed onto the taxpayer.
And unlike every other public sector pension scheme, the LGPS saves you and the government money. Contributions are invested and last year 28% of the value of the scheme came from investments.
If you are not a member of the LGPS or working in the public sector, you might think this has nothing to do with you. Nothing could be further from the truth. 2.5 million people are in the LGPS, or already getting a pension from it. That means someone you know!
Many people are not in the local government pension scheme. Why should they care?
Even if you're not in the LGPS, but have been balloted, we would ask you to join your colleagues on 28 March.
We want to negotiate a scheme for the future which all our members can afford. So if you are not an LGPS member because your pay or hours are too low, we want to ensure you will be part of the scheme and are treated equally.
MEMBERS: What happens to your pension if there is strike action?
One question branch officers are often asked when there's any suggestion of a strike or other industrial action is, "What would happen to my pension?" It is also an issue that management raise, in an attempt to stop people planning to take action.
For every whole day a member is out on strike s/he will lose one day's pensionable service. The lost days would not count in any way for pension purposes. Therefore a member would effectively loose 1/365th of an 80th for each and every full strike day.
It is possible to buy back the service lost, at your own cost, but the rules as set out in the regulations are quite tight. Contact your branch officer or LGPS administrator for more information and advice. You have 30 days from the date you return to work (longer if the employer allows) to make up your mind.
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LGPS
Local Government Pension Scheme
With 4.6 million members, the Local Government Pension Scheme is one of the largest public sector pension schemes in the UK.
The LGPS is a nationwide scheme and is a valuable part of the pay and reward package for employees working in local government or working for other employers participating in the Scheme and for some councillors.
The Scheme is administered locally for participating employers through 99 regional pension funds. Local Government Employers (LGE) provides this website on behalf of pension fund administrators and local government employers. Click here for more details.