| Some 400,000 public servants are tomorrow taking strike action over the continuing government cuts and attacks on their pensions. Members of Nipsa, PCS, RMT, UCU and Unite are staging picket lines at colleges, hospitals, tax offices and ports across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales throughout the day, with lunchtime rallies planned in major cities, including London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Cardiff and Swansea. Some 250,000 civil servants and PCS members will strike alongside 100,000 of Unite’s health members, UCU with members in 92 colleges, civil servants in Northern Ireland and a handful of RMT members working for the Royal Fleet Auxillary. The unions are determined to send a message to the government that they are not prepared to work longer and pay more for a smaller pension on retirement. Nipsa general secretary Brian Campfield said: “The attack on public service pensions is an integral part of its austerity agenda which has, at its core, the objective of making the ordinary citizen pay for a financial and economic crisis that is not of their making.” PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “”With the country back in recession and unemployment remaining high it is clear to everyone that austerity isn’t working. Instead of more cuts we desperately need investment in jobs and public services to get our economy moving again. “But instead of creating jobs in our economy, the government’s plans laid out today show that it is more committed to carrying on with damaging cuts and simply making it easier for businesses to throw more people out of work.” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “We’ll be sending the clearest message to the government that we will defend our pensions to the hilt that the demand to work longer, pay more and get less will be thrown back in the faces of this government of millionaire public school boys.” UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “College and university staff are already seeing the impact of the government’s pension changes on their pay packets and will lose hundreds of pounds this year in return for reduced pensions when they retire. It is simply not fair for ordinary families to be bearing the brunt of the government’s cuts while those at the top get tax cuts.” Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “Our members’ anger has been increased by the government’s hardline approach to pensions. George Osborne’s austerity plans are beginning to sicken everyone, and this attack on living standards will make the UK a miserable and socially divided island in which to live.” The unions’ action comes in the week that NUT, PCS and Unite launched their 68 is too late campaign to increase public awareness of the impact of raising the age when people will receive the state pension. * UnionNews will tomorrow be reporting from picket lines and rallies in Bristol and London. Check back for regular updates through the day. Solidarity to all those taking part. |