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Date: WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2006
MASSIVE STRIKE DAY LOOMS OVER CUTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONS
Over 200,000 of Scotland's most essential public sector workers
will strike on 28 March to protest at unfair and unjust cuts to
local government pensions, the Joint Union Strike Team (JUST) announced
today.
The strike is planned because the Government refuses to give protection
for existing members of their pension scheme. Members of nine of
the UK's biggest unions have overwhelmingly voted "YES" to strike
action because the Government and the Local Government Association
(Council employers in England and Wales) refuse to pay out what
they promised on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).*
The Government wants to get rid of the Rule of 85 which means LGPS
members will have to keep working until they are 65 or take up to
0ne third less pension, even though they have been paying 6% of
their salary into the pension scheme and planning for their retirement
for years.
Here in Scotland, the Scottish Executive has announced that it
will follow Westminster's lead, despite opposition to the move from
the main employers body - CoSLA - and the healthier position of
LGPS schemes in Scotland. UNISON, Scotland's biggest union, has
the largest number of members affected.
Chairing today's press conference, UNISON General Secretary Dave
Prentis said: "Around 80% of UNISON members voted in favour of this
strike action to support LGPS members. By refusing to pay out on
the LGPS, especially when they have given protection to every other
government pension scheme, the Scottish Executive is destroying
the retirement plans of thousand of public sector workers.
Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser - Bargaining said: "Three
quarters of LGPS members are women, who did exactly what the government
told them and started paying for their retirement out of their earnings
and now the rules get changed and they have to work an extra five
years.
"After a lifetime of dedicated service to their local communities,
our members deserve the pensions they have already paid for. We
have been negotiating for months over this issue, and it is still
not too late for Governments on both sides of the border, to sit
down and talk sense. Dave Prentis continued:
"The latest figures from independent actuary Aon show small costs
and huge savings for employers if protection for existing members
is retained and both the Government and English employers accept
these findings."
"Civil servants, teachers, police, firefighters and the NHS have
all been given protection for existing members of their pension
schemes, so there is absolutely no rhyme or reason in singling out
LGPS members for such unfair and unjust treatment.
"The Government must extend the same protection to existing LGPS
members that it has given to all other public sector workers. To
continue to refuse to do so is unfair, unjust and inexplicable.
Ends Notes to editors .
Eight unions released their ballot results this morning; Amicus
announced last week that its members had voted 9 to 1 in favour
of strike action
For more information: Susie Haywood, UNISON Press Office,
020 7388 1183 or 07738 352 209 Scotland Chris Bartter, Scottish
Communications Officer 07715 583 729
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