Call off pension reform strike, urges Cameron

David Cameron yesterday urged hundreds of thousands of teachers, lecturers and civil servants to abort their planned strike over pension reform, as Yorkshire schools braced themselves for a chaotic day of walkouts.

The Prime Minister said union members would be wrong to strike and insisted the coalition Government’s plans to overhaul the system were a “good deal” to ensure millions of public sector workers could secure affordable pensions for decades to come.

Mr Cameron’s call for an end to industrial action was echoed by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who said strikes were a “failure” and urged unions to continue negotiating.

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Members of four unions are preparing for the 24-hour walkout tomorrow, which is expected to result in thousands of schools, jobcentres, tax offices and courts being closed or severely affected.

Driving tests will be cancelled and customs checks at ports are likely to be disrupted.

At least 663 of the region’s schools will be affected by the strike, although the true number is expected to be higher because not all schools have informed councils of their plans.

Parents are advised to contact their child’s school today to find out how the industrial action will affect them.

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Mr Cameron said increased life expectancy meant the public sector pension system was in danger of running out of money. “We just can’t go on as we are,” he said. “That’s not because, as some people say, public service pensions are ridiculously generous. In fact, around half of public service pensioners receive less than £6,000 a year.

“The reason we can’t go on as we are is because as the baby boomers retire – and thankfully live longer – the pension system is in danger of going broke.

“In the 1970s, when a civil servant, say, retired at 60, they could expect to claim a pension for around 20 years.

“Today, when they retire at 60, they can expect to claim a pension for nearly 30 years – about a 50 per cent increase on before.”

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Mr Cameron added that the balance between what public sector workers paid into the system and the taxpayer contributed was getting “massively out of kilter”.

“So to those considering strike action,” he said, “at a time when discussions are ongoing, I would say to you, these strikes are wrong – for you, for the people you serve, for the good of the country.

“It’s the changes we propose that are right.”

Writing on his blog, Mr Miliband said: “I understand why teachers are so angry with the Government. But I urge them to think about whether causing disruption in the classroom will help people understand their arguments.

“You do not win public backing for an argument about pensions by inconveniencing the public – especially not while negotiations are ongoing.”

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The strike will mean that 124 schools in Sheffield are closed either fully or partially.

A similar picture is expected in the Kirklees district (where 107 schools will be shut or disrupted), Barnsley (67) and Doncaster (76).

Childcare agencies have reported a sharp rise in enquiries from working parents trying to make alternative arrangements for their children.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers union, said: “The Government is morally responsible for Thursday’s strike because it has failed to give us the information we need to conduct negotiations, and has consistently refused to talk about major changes it wants to make, including a 50 per cent increase in pension contributions.

“It is rich for the Government to now complain about strikes taking place during talks.“