Gordon McKay

“This Congress and this Government should be under no illusion that if this tawdry coalition of a government does not end their attacks on our pensions, then UNISON will ballot for industrial action and we will win, Gordon McKay told the STUC to loud applause.

“What we are seeing is a spiteful, mean spirited attack on public sector workers, simply because they are public sector workers who have saved for their old age”, said Gordon.

In a speech, moving a UNISON, CWU, UCU, ASLEF and PCS motion, punctuated by applause from delegates, Gordon listed the attacks.

The change form the Retail to Consumer Price Index that will cut average pensions by over 15%. Increases in pension age and abolition of protection for workers transferred to the private sector.

“But the biggest issue our members face is the robbery this government are planning on our pensions contributions”, said Gordon.

Of the 3.2% extra taken out of public sector workers wages, “not one penny of that £2.8billion will go towards workers’ pensions. It goes straight to Osborne's treasury to pay for the bankers’ bail out”.

The STUC will continue to campaign to defend public sector pensions from ‘ill-informed attacks.

As Gordon pointed out, the average ‘gold plated’ pension is just £3,800 a year and even less for women workers.