Unite fiercely defends the cost of public sector pensions
falling
15 September 2011
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has fiercely defended its
interpretation of figures contained in John Hutton's report on
public sector pensions (Hutton's report is entitled the 'Case for
Reform').
Misleading reports of comment's made by John Hutton suggest
that his recommendations to slash the pensions of public sector
workers are taken into consideration in a table contained in the
Hutton report that shows the cost of public sector pensions falling
over time as a proportion of GDP.
The misleading interpretation of the figures is being
exploited by the Government to justify their case for slashing
pensions but the figures in fact show the cost of pensions falling
before the vast majority of the government's proposals or Hutton's
proposed reforms have been taken into consideration.
Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: "The
evidence is unequivocal - the cost of public sector pensions will
fall over time without the government's plans to slash the pensions
of public sector workers.
"The only element of the current changes that the figures in
Hutton's report include is the effect of the switch to CPI - which
was not something Hutton recommended or had anything to do with.
The Hutton reforms go far beyond this as they seek to make a major
step reduction in the current cost of benefits.
"In fact, even without the change in indexation from RPI to
CPI the cost of public sector pensions will still fall over
time."
"Given that the trade unions are now moving swiftly towards
industrial action ballots, its time start dealing with the real
facts, if we are to make progress with the Government and avoid
industrial action."
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
