Divided government fails to negotiate on public sector pensions,
says Unite
28 July 2011
A divided and inept government was accused by Unite today
(Thursday 28 July) of imposing public sector pension increases
before the negotiations had finished.
Unite, the largest union in the country with 250,000 members in
the public sector, condemned the government’s announcement that
public sector pensions would rise next year as ‘an exercise in
ineptitude’ by ministers clearly divided on the future of the
individual public sector schemes.
The union called on ministers to take part in ‘real and genuine
negotiations on what is a difficult issue’.
Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: ”This
arbitrary announcement - while negotiations are continuing on the
individual schemes - demonstrates that the government is not
interested in genuine negotiations, but just in pushing through
these changes.
”Despite the rabid tabloid headlines that these pensions are
‘gold plated’, the average local government pension is just
£4,000-a-year and over half of female NHS employees can expect an
average of £3,500-a-year – hardly a fortune after a lifetime of
work.
”And this has been recognised by the right wing cabinet
ministers in charge of health and education respectively, Andrew
Lansley and Michael Gove, who have raised concerns about chief
secretary to the treasury Danny Alexander’s hardline attack on
public sector pensions.
”Public sector pensions were reformed by the last government
with increased contributions and later retirement ages. What Danny
Alexander is attempting is to push through further changes that
will drive thousands of already hard-pressed public sector workers
out of these schemes and, ultimately, undermine the very viability
of these schemes.
”The unions are united on this issue, but the government is
divided.
”This approach is like a landlord announcing rent increases and
saying they are still going to apply even after they have moved you
into a much smaller property.
”The increases in 2012/3 are the first of three annual increases
which, in total, go far beyond offsetting any increase in the cost
of the schemes.
”The government’s so-called ‘consultation’ is inappropriate
because contributions are being proposed when the future structure
of benefits is still under negotiation. While the 2012/3 increase
might not be unreasonable if current benefits were going to be
maintained, the government's intention is that they will be greatly
reduced in value after the contributions have been raised.”
Unite said that it will keep its members fully informed and
consult them on the final package when it finally emerges.
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
