Date: Thurs 23 Mar 2006

PENSION STRIKE GOES AHEAD SAYS UNISON

UNISON, the largest public service union in the UK today confirmed that the strike action planned for next Tuesday 28th March 2006 goes ahead.

The union said tonight the strike is about fair treatment for hundreds of thousands of UNISON members employed in pubic services up and down the country. While other workers had their pensions protected, members of the local government pension scheme have been cruelly let down by the Government.

Commenting on the statement this evening by Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, Matt Smith UNISON's Scottish Secretary said: "The Minister's statement gives no guarantees to our members who are only asking for fairness and equal treatment with other public service workers. Tom McCabe says these are difficult legal and financial issues. But the inequality in pensions arose because of political decisions made in the past and the Scottish Executive has the power to resolve this situation politically now."

ENDS

For further comment and information contact: Matt Smith 07771 548 997 01294 601 652 Joe di Paola 07958 121 861 0141 772 5557

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