| GMB and Unite members took part in a rally on Wednesday 2 November to boost support for industrial action in the dispute with government over pension changes in the public services. The rally took place between: 11.00 to 13.00 on WEDNESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER at FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE EUSTON LONDON Speakers at the rally included GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny and Unite General Secretary Len McLuskey. GMB and Unite are currently balloting for strike action in this dispute. Separate ballots are underway covering the local government pension scheme, covering the NHS pension scheme and covering the Civil Service pension scheme. Northern Ireland and Scotland are counted separately for the NHS and local government. The independent Electoral Reform Services (ERS) started sending ballot papers for official industrial action over pension cuts to GMB members in public services from Monday 31st October. Unite began issuing ballot papers on Wednesday 26 October to approximately 160,000 public sector workers . Both unions' ballots close at noon on 16th November. If Unite and GMB members vote for strike action the first day of official action will be Wednesday 30th November. Other unions balloting for official industrial action on pensions include Unison, Nasuwt, FDA, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, EIS, Ucatt, AEP, SCP, etc. Four unions the ATL, NUT, UCU and PCS already have authority to take further industrial action. The ballots cover a range of GMB members employed as follows: local councils, schools and contractors and other bodies whose staff have access to any of the LGPS scheme; staff in the NHS; civilian staff in Prisons and MOD and other industrial civil servants and staff in Further and Higher Education. The ballots cover members in public services in all jurisdictions in the UK. Unite, represents a broad range of occupations within the public sector in the UK and encompasses several professional bodies. Members can be found in the NHS, local government, Ministry of Defence (MoD), further education, government departments and also in not-for-profit organisations where many workers still belong to public sector pension schemes. It encompasses workers ranging from health visitors, pharmacists and blood service staff to local authority refuse collectors and electricians. Unite also represents workers maintaining MoD bases, workers at the Environment Agency, animal welfare organisations, the Royal Mint and advice, guidance and legal centres. In materials sent with the ballot paper GMB members are advised that the government is attacking public sector pensions. Members are being asked whether they object to paying more to subsidise employers. They are also asked if they oppose having to work longer to get their pension. They are being asked whether they think it’s wrong to have the pension they have expected cut without their consent. They are told that if their answer to these questions is ‘yes’ then they should vote yes for industrial action. Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary said, “We have been in negotiations with government for several months about the future of public sector pensions and progress has been painfully slow. While those negotiations are still on-going government has started implementing its plans which would mean public service workers paying around 50% more for a worse pension that they have to work longer to get. That is why we have had to move now to ballot for industrial action and our members tell us we are right to do so because they simply cannot afford what the government is demanding. No-one wants to see public services disrupted so I urge government to quickly come forward with better proposals that give us an opportunity to negotiate a settlement that is fair to public sector workers and taxpayers alike.” Peter Allenson, Unite national officer said, "The government plans to impose changes which will force local government workers to pay more, work longer but earn less in retirement. We say local government pensions are already affordable. We say the cuts will hurt women and the poorest most of all. We say enough is enough; it is time to make a stand and vote yes for action on November 30. The average (median) local government pension is only £3,048 a year. Workers' and their unions are building for the biggest ever mobilisation of workers in decades as the battle begins to defend public sector pensions." End |