"Housing bodies fight to protect staff pension pots"

Today the Social Housing Magazine "Inside Housing" led with a report that housing organisations are to challenge a threat to their workers' pensions.

The Pension Trust which administrates the Social Housing Pension Fund (and many other Community and voluntary sector pension funds) is being blamed for attempting to force employers to close decent defined benefit schemes and force them to open less secure defined contributions schemes. This is supposed to be about rising pension "deficits".

To be fair to the Pension's Trust I have had conversations with people closely connected with the Trust and they say that they are fully committed to keeping these schemes affordable and open.

This morning I posted these comments on the Inside Housing website.

"While it is good news that Housing organisation are going to fight to protect their pension schemes it is absolutely vital that everyone understands that these “deficits” are frankly meaningless.

The cost of pension schemes is measured by a discredited and outdated accounting system called “Mark to Market” which even the Pensions minister Steve Webb described as a “Nightmare” which is “killing” perfectly good schemes. He has promised “not to stand “idly by” and to do something.

All employers and defined benefit pension schemes must not panic or over react. They should be working jointly with the trade unions to resolve this temporary problem. Remember closing the scheme will not get rid of the deficit. It can make it even worse.

Modern defined benefit pension schemes are as sustainable and affordable now as they have ever been. 

John Gray Branch Secretary UNISON Greater London Housing Association Branch"

Housing staff pay price of Cameron’s Britain

Inside Housing magazine published today research showing a huge year on increase in violence against housing staff.

“Spat at and slapped. Bitten. Punched. Forced to the ground and beaten. Every day in the UK a front line housing worker is falling victim to this kind of violent assault”

"Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey said: ‘Government cuts to housing are not only hitting tenants hard but putting at risk the safety of those who serve the public. To add insult to literal injury, changes such as the bedroom tax might see tenants vent their anger on those in the front line.’

While "Jake Berry, parliamentary private secretary to the housing minister, said: ‘Any assaults on housing staff are absolutely unacceptable’, and that Mr Dromey’s comments linking changes to benefits to violence were ‘utterly baseless and completely disgraceful’.

I was quoted as "John Gray, housing association branch secretary at public sector union Unison, said: ‘This is what happens in the everyday life of housing officers up and down the country.’

He added that tenants who fall into rent arrears as a result of the government’s welfare reforms and are threatened with eviction ‘won’t blame the coalition, they’ll blame the infantry’. So you can see which side of the debate I was on.

Since I think what Jack Dromey said is very true. Things will get even worse with the bedroom tax. Not only that but due to Coalition spending cuts in the Health and Safety Executive and local authority enforcement there will be less protection and support available for staff.

It wasn't reported that I had also said when interviewed by Inside Housing that part of the solution was  employers and trade union safety reps working together in partnership to protect staff.  However there were certain "rogue employers" who refuse to work with unions and frankly treat their staff with as much disdain as they do their residents . 

If assaults and injuries occur in organisations where risk assessments are not properly carried out or implemented, incidents not investigated or polices not enforced then the CEO and senior management teams of these organisations need to be targeted by the HSE/Local authorities and dealt with under the law as criminals in the same way as the actual perpetrators of the violence. 

"Housing staff face massive pension hikes"

I was contacted by "Inside Housing" (trade magazine for Social Housing) this week about possible significant increases in pension contributions for members of the Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS).  What I told them is hardly rocket science, but after years of below inflation wages increases (and savage cuts in care and support) if the cost of pensions go up then members will leave the scheme.

I have also posted on line this comment:-

Can I recommend that if anyone learns that their employer is considering increasing contributions or closing their scheme to contact their trade union. UNISON is in the process of organising a meeting with the Social Housing Pension Fund and also will want to meet with employers.

Please remember that this “deficit” is an accounting figure which is almost entirely bogus and due a double whammy of recent exceptionally low fund management returns and a 200 year low in the price of gilts. Some things might have to change but defined benefit schemes are as affordable now as they have ever been. Housing associations should not panic. They will only run the risk of making the deficit seem even worse if they do. Instead they should meet up with their unions and negotiate a way forward.

and in reply to a blog by its Editor here

Sorry Stuart but it would not be a pragmatic step to consider closing the scheme nor raising contributions significantly. It could make things very much worse. This “deficit” is completely artificial and discredited accounting figure due to a double whammy of recent exceptionally low fund management returns and a 200 year low in the yield of gilts.

The Pensions Minister accepts that this "mark to market" accounting should be reviewed. Even the Bank of England says that you should not take a "mechanical" viewpoint of such "deficits"....

In housing management we see first hand the awful consequences of poverty in old age. Defined benefits schemes gives dignity in retirement for millions and should remain as the cornerstone of decent occupational pension provision.

I am also writing a guide/resource for the AMNT on what should trade unions and trustees do if their employer decides to try and close their defined benefit scheme (or increase costs so much it will close)

Chartered Institute Housing Election 2012

I've just taken part in the first ever election for the Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). You get a email with a unique security code and you cast your vote on-line at the independent Electoral Reform
Services website.

The Vice President will become the President of the CIH next year. It's a bit suspect that this is the first ever openly contested election at the CIO but better late than never I suppose. I posted here that I know one of the candidates, Jan Taranczuk, quite well (his wife Kathy use to be my Tower Hamlets Local Housing office boss for many years). I don't know his opponent, Paul Tennant, who is the CEO of Orbit Housing Association.

If you are a member of the CIH you have until 30 January to vote. You can see their election statements here. There is an online husting tomorrow 12pm on the Guardian Housing Network blog. This afternoon on the Inside Housing site here there is a online poll (see picture right: double click to bring up detail) and both Jan and Paul were running neck and neck at 50%.

UNISON Housing Association Pension Strike November 30

I had all the placards, banners, flags and leaflets etc at home, so I took a minicab this morning at 6.30am to the picket and lobby at Islington. It was a relief to see that there was 3 branch members waiting for me on site at 7am.  We then spent the next couple of hours busy setting things up. The concourse outside the Highbury and Islington Underground station and the traffic island is very busy and high profile.  We put placards, balloons and flags on railings, trees and street furniture.  While leafleting and talking to the public. 

There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction from commuters and passersbyes.  A few idiotic comments but so few as to be remarked upon. Unite members who were not on strike had taken leave in order to take part. Journalists from the "Morning Star" and "Inside Housing" came to visit and interview us.  As well as a Swiss journalist. We had "Jiving for decent pensions" lessons given free to pickets by Sarah, our branch finance officer, who is a Jiving Dancing champion and instructor (see next post).  I was  the only one who didn't mind the lessons being filmed despite me being completely rubbish at jiving!

There was also a successful branch picket outside Gem House in Aldgate.

Next some of us went to the local Islington rally outside the Town Hall, while I went to meet Gloria Hanson, the UNISON regional Convenor in Holburn. We took part with branch members in the march through central London. At the Rally in Victoria Embankment, Gloria was a speaker to the estimated 30,000 crowd. Afterwards we joined the UNISON picket line outside St Thomas Hospital which went on until 6pm. We had a little break to see a guest off but returned to the picket line later until it finished. Then a quick beer (or three) and home.  I'll post futher pics on the Strike day later.

Completely knackered but it was a really good day. I hope you-know-who-you-are: are listerning and will have the decency to give us pension justice. Go on - surprise us.

17% increase in serious injury to housing staff since recession

Inside Housing yesterday highlighted Heath & Safety Executive figures which show that serious injuries have jumped 17% since the recession.  In the last 3 years there was 618 reports while in the 3 years before the recession there were "only" 528.  This includes 46 "major injuries" requiring hospitalisation for more than 24 hours.

Inside Housing rang me early this week for a comment. They reported my response that these figures were "worrying" and I had no doubt that there had been an increase in assaults on staff since the recession.  Many of our residents have lost their jobs and a far higher number have seen pay cuts and reductions in hours or overtime.  This has resulted in rent arrears which has put pressure on staff to reduce which inevitably puts housing workers at risk. I also think redundancies and other staff reductions in Supporting People contracts have increased risk.  While the overall increase in the insecurity many feel about their jobs has meant that people are rushing to complete tasks, taking risks and not always thinking about their safety - which may explain the increase in other injuries. 

I am in any case convinced that apart from the reporting of the most serious injuries, that there is a massive under reporting of all forms of accidents and injuries in our sector.  Some (not all) Housing organisation have a "blame" culture if a member of staff is assaulted.  Incredibly they blame the injured member of staff for "not being professional enough".  So workers don't bother reporting incidents, especially verbal abuse or threats.  While other workers think that reporting an accident is a waste of time since they think "nothing will be done" - so why bother?

I also had a moan to Inside Housing about the increase in stress at work due to the recession and the huge problem of "long hours" especially amongst managers.  Not only does this make them ill but you get "knackered managers syndrome".  Managers who are so tired that they have poor judgement and make bad decisions.  Which makes things worse for everyone.  Hopefully Inside Housing will return to this problem.