Council workers come out in support of pensions strike

THE prospect of a strike by millions of public sector workers increased today after members of the biggest public sector union voted in favour of industrial action in the bitter row over pensions.

Unison said its members, ranging from school dinner ladies and refuse collectors to social workers and NHS staff, backed a campaign of industrial action.

The union is now set to strike on November 30, when teachers, civil servants and other public sector workers will also be staging a walkout - the biggest in the UK for decades.

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It was the biggest ballot in union history, with Unison sending out 1.1 million voting papers to its members, along with a strong recommendation to back strikes.

Unions are pressing ahead with plans for the strike despite a new Government offer on public sector pensions described as the “chance of a lifetime”.

Unison said 245,358 voted in favour, with 70,253 against.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: “The decisive ‘yes’ vote in the ballot reflects the deep concern that our members have over Government ministers’ proposals for their pensions.

“Yesterday’s statement in Parliament was a marked improvement on earlier proposals. But it is important to understand that the statement has to be translated into offers in the scheme specific talks.

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“We still have had no offer in those negotiations, where such an offer can legitimately be made.

“We support the TUC day of action on November 30, but will be negotiating right up to then and beyond to get a fair deal for our members.”

Senior Unison officials are meeting throughout the afternoon to discuss the latest Government statement on pensions and to decide what action to take as a result of the strike ballot.

Unison said its members in local government voted by 171,428 in favour of strikes, with 54,500 against, in a turnout of 30%, while NHS workers backed action by 73,930 to 15,753 in a 25% turnout.

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The union balloted members including nurses, teaching assistants, social workers, care assistants, paramedics, police staff, school dinner ladies, probation workers and cleaners.

Hours after receiving details of the new offer from Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude yesterday, union leaders said they welcomed the proposed changes, but they were not enough to call off the planned industrial action.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said there were still “major areas of concern” over the Government’s proposals, which will lead to increased pension contributions and later retirement.

Ministers warned that the offer could be withdrawn if there was no agreement reached by the end of the year and replaced with less generous arrangements.

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Mr Alexander said the offer was the “best we are going to get” in terms of money, although he believed there was a “lot more” to talk about over how the changes will affect the four separate schemes.

He said the new offer involved an increase to the cost ceiling, so future schemes will now be based on a pension to the value of 1/60th of average salary accruing for each year worked rather than 1/65th - an 8% increase on the previous offer.

The minister said he had listened to the argument that those closest to retirement should not have to face any change at all, announcing that no one within 10 years of retirement will see any change over when they can retire, nor any decrease in the amount of pension they receive.

“Anyone 10 years or less from retirement age on April 1 2012 are assured that there will be no detriment to their retirement income,” he said.

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He also announced that no further changes would be made for 25 years if an agreement could be reached.

“I believe this package is affordable. I believe it is also fair, not just to public sector workers, but delivers significant long-term savings to taxpayers who will continue to make a significant contribution to their pensions.

“If reform along these lines is agreed, I believe that we will have a deal that can endure for at least 25 years and hopefully longer.

“So I hope that the trade unions will now grasp the opportunity that this new offer represents. It is the chance of a lifetime to secure good, high-quality and fair public service pensions.”

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But the Public Services Liaison Group (PSLG) of unions said: “All the unions have indicated throughout this process their determination to reach a negotiated settlement on all these issues.

“That remains the position and unions will engage intensively in the coming weeks. But unless and until further real progress is made and acceptable offers are made within those negotiations, unions remain firmly committed to continuing their preparations for the planned day of action on November 30.”

Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: “Yesterday’s offer from the Government was designed to avert strikes, but just one day later, it looks as though this bribe has failed.

“The unions have the Government over a barrel. Once you start offering concessions, when do you stop?

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“The original reform proposals were the bare minimum needed to put public sector pensions on a sustainable footing. Yesterday’s more generous offer was a bad idea and should now be taken off the table. There is no sense in carrying out half-hearted reforms now and crisis cuts in five or 10 years’ time.

“The plain fact is that people are living longer and so public sector pensions, like any other type of pensions, need to be reformed so they can continue to be paid in the future. Ordinary taxpayers cannot continue to subsidise public sector pensioners at today’s levels.”