UNISON Community e-news: Voting YES in LGPS ballot is "vital"

Community e-news

July 2012

UNISON’s e-newsletter for the Community service group

Vote “Yes” in the LGPS ballot

The leadership of UNISON’s Community service group is urging members to vote “YES” to accept the proposals for a new Local Government Pension Scheme.

Service Group chair Kevin Jackson said: “This is a vital vote for all our members in housing associations and charities.

·         If you are in the LGPS, then it’s a good deal, especially for part-time workers.

·         If you are not in the LGPS, then keeping a high quality scheme for public service workers will help put the brakes on other employers who want to ‘dumb down’ pension schemes.

·         If you are being TUPE-transferred then the “Fair Deal” for pensions is being beefed up to give you more protection too.

“Not all members are in the LGPS.  But we have to ballot everyone in employers which have some members in the LGPS.  We are also working hard to protect the Social Housing Pension Scheme and other pension schemes.  A high turnout in the ballot will send a message of strength to the government. 

Make sure you vote!

The ballot runs from 31 July to 24 August, and members can vote by post or online.  There is more information on www.unison.org.uk/pensions/lgps.asp.

Pensions: Fight to keep schemes! and “auto-enrolment”

Members in the Social Housing Pension Scheme (Pensions Trust) need to be aware that their employers have been sent letters about the deficits in their pensions schemes which is causing some employers to panic and start talking of closing the scheme or massive increase in contributions.  There has also been some outrageous scaremongering by some financial “advisors” to schemes.  UNISON is arranging an urgent meeting with the Pensions Trusts.  In the meanwhile if your employers starts talking of any changes to your pension scheme please contact your branch and UNISON’s pensions unit immediately and ask your employer to send copies of what is being proposed.

Remember – the current pension so-called “deficits” are valued in a completely discredited and inaccurate manner which even the current Pensions minster has recognised is wrong and needlessly “killing” good pensions schemes. Remember closing a pension scheme does not get rid of any deficit - in fact it can make things worse.

Finally, for everyone, “auto-rolling” for pension schemes is starting from the end of this year. Nearly all employees who are currently not in a pension scheme will be automatically enrolled into the employer’s scheme or a state scheme. Now this may be “good news” for those not in a scheme but we are concerned about some employers who currently have decently funded defined contribution schemes (“final salary” or “career average” schemes) may be tempted to cut existing employer contributions, since they are worried about an increase in the pension bill from more people being in it.  We have to fight this as well. Pensions are expensive.  Employers’ have to realise that unless they want their staff to retire in poverty they have fund pensions properly.

Pensions are obviously not boring nor are they as complicated as you think. We need to have at least one UNISON Pension Champion (or contact) in every employer.  If you are interested in being a “Pension Champion” let us know and we will sort out some training for you on the role in the very near future.

Contact: pensionsm@unison.co.uk

(top two stories on pensions in this months Community e-news. Check out rest of news here on
campaigns and research against cuts and austerity; pay deals and employer reports from around the country; activity in regions; and a new chair for your service group executive).

LGPS 2014 ballot - Vote YES to protect your future (& ignore the miserablists)

From UNISON eFocus today. There will be a ballot on the new proposed Local Government Pension Scheme 2014.

UNISON members who work for my employer and in my branch have voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the deal. This will keep a world class guaranteed pensions scheme for all and stop the discrimination of low paid women in favour of highly paid senior management and Chief Executives.

The ballot will start on 31 July and last until 24 August. You can also vote on-line.

While there are some who have genuine reservations about the proposal, there is also a miserablist opposition who are simply mischief making and doing all they can to distort and undermine the new scheme.

Through our arguments, campaigning and collective action we have defended the LGPS and retained a world class guaranteed defined benefit pension scheme. 

Some people simply don't know how to quit when they are ahead!

Daniel Zeichner - Labour PPC for Cambridge

Good news! Daniel Zeichner has been selected as the Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge at the next general election. The seat use to be Labour until 2005. Now held by Lib Dems.

Daniel is a national officer for UNISON Labour Link - seen in this photo (wearing grey jacket) running a very successful and innovative UNISON Computer telecanvass team during the May 2012 elections.

"Pensions, Pensions and more Pensions"

(This is an article I wrote last week for my Branch Stewards newsletter).

"Let’s face it. Many members probably consider Pensions to be a pretty boring issue and something that they would prefer to put off thinking about too much until another day (or preferably never). Well, whether you like it or not, in the coming months, all UNISON members and in fact nearly all employees will have to wake up and start thinking about pensions. 

For those of us in the Local Government Pension Scheme there is an ongoing consultation process at the moment by UNISON on a new look scheme. LGPS 2014 agreed last month with the unions, LGA employers and the Government. You will be balloted on the scheme at the end of the month. Have a look at what is being proposed on the UNISON website http://www.unison.org.uk/pensions/lgps.asp

While members in the Social Housing Pension Scheme (Pensions Trust) will need to be aware that their employers have been sent letters about the deficits in their pension schemes which is causing some employers to panic and start talking of closing the scheme or massive increase in contributions. There has also been some outrageous scaremongering by some financial “advisors” to schemes. UNISON is arranging an urgent meeting with the Pensions Trust. In the meanwhile if your employers start talking of any changes to your pension scheme please contact the branch immediately and ask your employer to send us copies of what is being proposed.

Remember – the current pension so-called “deficits” are valued in a completely discredited and inaccurate manner which even the current Pensions minster has recognised is wrong and needlessly “killing” good pensions schemes. Remember closing a pension scheme does not get rid of any deficit - in fact it can make things worse.

Finally, for those of you who are not in the LGPS or SHPS please be aware that “auto-rolling” is kicking in at the end of this year. Nearly all employees who are currently not in a pension scheme will be automatically enrolled into the employer’s scheme or a state scheme.

Now this is “good news” for those not in a scheme but what we are concerned about is that some employers who currently have decently funded defined contribution schemes (also known as DC, Group personal pensions, Group Stakeholders, money purchase etc) may be tempted to cut existing employer contributions, since they are worried about an increase in the pension bill from more people being in it.

We have to fight this as well. Pensions are expensive. Employer’s have to realise that unless they want their staff to retire in poverty they have to fund pensions properly.

Pensions are obviously not boring nor are they as complicated as you think. We need to have at least one UNISON Pension Champion (or rep) in every employer. If you are interested in being a “Pension Champion” let the branch office know and we will sort out some training for you on the role in the very near future".

John Gray
Branch secretary

Goodbye and thanks Keith: Hello and welcome Frances

On Wednesday evening after the NEC meetings I went to a reception to mark the retirement of UNISON Deputy General Secretary Keith Sonnet. Keith has served the Labour Movement for 40 years and I think we all wish him well in the retirement. Even though I doubt very much we have seen the last of him.

I had a later meeting that I couldn't get out of, so I was only able to have a brief chat and handshake. I don't know Keith that well but it was really nice that he remembered that I had helped (in a very small way) during the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) negotiations in 2008. We also discussed the new LGPS 2014 scheme and the incredibily good deal that UNISON had negotiated for members.

Coincidentally this week Frances O'Grady was appointed as General Secretary of the British Trade Union Congress. She happens to be the first female GS of the TUC which is I think an important landmark occasion in trade union history. I have seen Frances speak and promote progressive labour politics and really welcome her election.

More Key Facts about the LGPS 2014 (and Too Hot Ta Trot)

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More key facts from UNISON about the the new proposed Local Government Pension scheme (LGPS 2014).

• 90% of members willpay the same or less contributions as now

All pensionable service before 1 April 2014will retain a Normal Pension Age of 65

• Most part-time workers and those with actual pensionable earnings between £15,801 and £21,000 will pay less in LGPS 2014
• Over 55% of local government workers work part-time


Only those earning over £43,001 will pay more


They make up just 4% of LGPS members
• 95.6% members earn less than £43,000 - the point at which contributions increase


The LGPS 2014 will for many members deliver a better pension than LGPS 2008, especially for those with less than 20 – 25 years of membership
• But the average length of membership in the scheme is just 7 years, so most members will do better in LGPS 2014

• From 1 April 2014 the Normal Pension Age (NPA) will be at least 65 and will then increase in line with the State Pension Age – which is set to rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
• The existing Rule of 85 protections will remain. Members aged 55 or over at 1 April 2012 will be protected by an underpin, which ensures that those people will be no worse off as a result of these changes. Under the proposals there are no plans to remove the pension protection for those made redundant from age 55

• Those who have to work longer will get a bigger pension because they will be paying contributions – and benefitting from employer contributions for longer
• Because all earnings will be pensionable – including non-contractual overtime and additional hours for part-time workers – members will have bigger pensions than now
• Most UNISON members not in the LGPS give cost and low pay as the reason. The "50/50 option" will help them to join

I note that the blogging Miserabilist in Chief, Jon of the Rogers (failed ultra left candidate for London regional convener and General Secretary) has been having a pop at me over this post. Now of course he misrepresents what I have said (I do accept that some non trots do think we could have got a better deal - amazing but true) but since he also makes a series of blatant untruths about the impact of CPI, survivor benefits, the stability of the LGPS, accrual etc etc I would hope by now that very few people paid any attention to his whining and whinging.

He again attacks our staff which is unacceptable especially since as a NEC member he is suppose to be their employer. He also shows his ignorance of the difference between a guaranteed public sector pension scheme and a private sector scheme.

So desperate are they to continue with their calls for general strikes and student union toytown revolutionary politics they want to destroy a perfectly good pension scheme.

The bottom line is he and the other Miserablists support the continuation of a discriminative pension scheme which penalises low paid women workers and benefits senior management and Chief Executive Officers. Nuf said.  (Hat tip Mel for Youtube video)

Moanie fibbing miserabalists and the LGPS 2014

Crikey - I thought that I have seen it all, but there is some really stupid, ignorant, completely self destructive fibs and smears being put out about the proposed new Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS 2014) by a tiny number of extremists.  Who obviously do not give a damn about the pensions of their members.

  

I can just about accept that there are some UNISON activists who genuinely think we could have delivered loads and loads of strike action that would somehow have improved the bargaining position to get a better deal. I think they are wrong but what we find now is that there are those who seemingly want their members to retire in abject poverty, because that will somehow, further the revolutionary cause? Since they are sending out complete and utter fibs and smears about the new proposals.

What will be their position if the scheme is accepted? When UNISON will be running one of its biggest ever campaigns to encourage members to join the schemes during auto-enrolling? When all members will be by law compulsory placed in a pension scheme? How can they persuade their members to join what will be by any objective intelligent standard, a bloody good scheme, when they have completely rubbished it to them?

I can understand a reasoned debate on the pros and cons of the new scheme but we find extremist branch secretaries, who are personally fully protected themselves, from any of the proposed changes trying to persuade their members that the new guaranteed defined benefit scheme is completely "evil".  By doing so they are doing their very best to destroy a decent pension scheme.

This is shameful. Just because the extremists cannot go on strike, after strike, after strike; they are throwing all their toys out of the pram. While I would hope nobody will pay any attention to such stupidly I have no doubt that some members will and they will leave or not join the pension scheme and then have to endure their old age to die in miserable poverty.  

The Miami 5

Yesterday I went to the AGM of the London UNISON Europe and International Committee. One of the speakers was Natasha Hickman from Cuba Solidarity Campaign who spoke about "The Miami 5".

These are 5 Cubans who worked for the Cuba intelligence agencies to infiltrate and spy on extreme right wing anti-communist terrorist organisations based in the United States during the 1990's. They were arrested by the US authorities and sentenced for espionage and conspiracy to murder (which they deny).

To be honest, they are obviously Cuban patriots who volunteered to spy in US and must have known the risks they would face if caught. However, it is clear that they were mainly working against right wing extremists who have murdered Cuban civilians and even western tourists in their "War" against the Castro government. It was also clearly unfair for their trials to be held in Miami which is dominated by Cuban exiles who are rabid anti-Castro.

Most importantly I am still completely and utterly amazed that the United States still shames itself by continuing with an economic "war" and blockade of Cuba. This is now 50 years old. What on earth is the point? The "Cold War" is surely finished?

So the US government does not like the Cuba government. So what? It doesn't stop the US trading with China? The US is acting like a regional bully and must stop the blockade, which serves no purpose whatsoever and is in fact completely counterproductive, since it serves as a rallying call for the Cuba government.

I asked Natasha what is going on and she said that to some Americans the word "Cuba" is like a full moon to a werewolf.

Picture is from the UNISON NDC conference where the wives of the imprisoned Cubans spoke about the hardships their families face from the years of imprisonment.

London UNISON Welfare Committee Summer fundraiser 2012

Greater London UNISON Welfare Committee is raising money next weekend with a Sponsored walk. Our welfare funds help members "when times are tough" and has done fantastic work over the years. A very worthy cause indeed.  If you are a UNISON member in London and wish to participate in the walk (or sponsor) then double click on the flyer above to bring up details and email Rose or Amanda.  

UNISON to ballot on Local Government Pension Scheme

Key Facts About LGPS 2014 Proposals and LGPS Members

·                     90% of members will pay the same contributions as now

·                       Nearly All part-time workers and those earning between £15,801 and £21,000 will pay less in LGPS 2014

·                     Over 55% of local government workers work part-time

·                     Only those earning over £43,001 will pay more

·                     They make up just 4% of LGPS members

·                     95.6% members earn less than £43,000 - the point at which contributions increase

·                     The LGPS 2014 will deliver a better pension than LGPS 2008 for members until 20 – 25 years of membership

·                     But the average length of membership in the scheme is just 7 years, so most members will do better in LGPS 2014

·                     From 1 April 2014 the Normal Pension Age (NPA) will be linked to the State Pension Age – which is set to rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046

·                     But many members retire before 62, the increase in NPA will not stop this.

·                     Those who have to work longer will get a bigger pension because they will be paying contributions – and benefitting from employer contributions for longer

·                     Because all earnings will be pensionable – including non-contractual overtime and additional hours for part-time workers – members will have bigger pensions than now

·                      Most UNISON members not in the LGPS give cost and low pay as the reason.  The “50/50 option” will help them to join.

Recruit and Organise - You will soon receive a recruitment leaflet based on the LGPS 2014 proposals.  PLEASE USE IT!  Many low-paid and part-time members will be able to join the LGPS for the first time because of UNISON’s negotiations – and most members will pay no more for the same – or better pension.

This is a big achievement in the face of a hostile government which wanted to end defined benefit pensions, increase contributions and worsen benefits.

Let non-members know what UNISON has done and will continue to do for our members.

(based on UNISON LGPS Campaign news 20 which I have updated a little)

Consultation is taking place until July 11 - the ballot  starts 31 July and finish 24 August.

UNISON NDC 12: End of Conference

At 3.45pm on Friday the UNISON National Delegate conference begins to wind down with the traditional motion of thanks for our  President. Who this year was Eleanor Smith, a

NHS theatre nurse from Birmingham (see photo left).

The general idea is to gently tease the President with embarrassing reminisces and photographs from childhood.

Eleanor was in tears when her two daughter's spoke to conference about their Mum and how proud they are that she had been UNISON's first black President.

At the NEC meeting on Friday Morning Chris Tansley, a child care social worker, from Nottingham who did such a great job as Chair of the Local Government Conference debate on pensions, has been elected as the new president of UNISON together with Maureen le Marinel and Lucia McKeever as our vice presidents.

I don't think that you can really understand UNISON if you haven't witnessed the end of national conference. Anyway, roll on NDC 2013 which will take place I understand for the first time next June at the fair City of Liverpool!

UNISON NDC 12: Branch Resources Review

If you are not a member of UNISON or a trade union then the chances are you are not going to be interested in this post. If you are a member of UNISON...then the chances are you are not going to be that interested either! Which is a shame because the future funding arrangement of our union is really important.

On Thursday evening I went to one of the two briefings on "Branch Resources Review" ably chaired by North West regional convener, Diane Kelly, together with my fellow NEC members Mike Hayes, Josie Bird and Elizabeth Cameron.  As well as Sotirios Loizou, Regional & Branch Development Officer and Steve Tasker, Director of Finance.

On average each UNISON branch receives back 23% of its members subscriptions. While the basic rate is 20% it varies due to geographical spread, reserves, whether you represent multi-employers or not and participate in our internal democracy (such as turning up to conference). The highest is 31% while the lowest is 17%.

UNISON has around 1000 branches and income of £170 million per year. This is a lot of money. There has been a growth in branch reserves from £33 million in 2002 to £55 million. However, most of these reserves earn an appalling rate of interest. Some £45 million of reserves only earns £58,000 (0.12%) interest per year. Which is just silly. UNISON estimates that if we invested these funds collectively (while ownership still remaining with branches) that we would earn at least £1 million extra per year!  Which to me is also a no brainier.

The review is also looking at encouraging branches (where it makes sense) to share resources and facilities with each other. Getting the money right is probably the most important thing the union can do. If we don't get this right then everything else we want to do is under threat.

As a former branch treasurer, current secretary and regional finance convener I thought the fringe went well but there were a few unhappy folk who seemed to me to carp and moan somewhat unnecessarily. Ironically they reminded me of a couple of tenant residents meetings  I've attended in the past where I was in the firing line because as you know - all council officers are useless, overpaid and forget who are paying their wages etc. Now I know people are worried about change but in a trade union setting I found such criticism to be honest - pretty off. Anyway, onwards and forwards.

Lib Dem Sutton Council cuts Carers' wages by 40%

London UNISON press release:-

"Care staff lobbied London Borough of Sutton Council Adult Services Committee tonight (Tuesday19th June) and handed in a letter to the Committees chairman Councillor Colin Stears to highlight the plight of dedicated care staff

50 care workers looking after vulnerable London Borough of Sutton residents/clients with learning difficulties (previously known as mental handicap). employed by MCCH (a registered charity) are facing the prospect of a 40% cut in their pay, equivalent to £10,000 per annum, some of our qualified nurses face even larger pay cuts.

Many of the clients are ex-Orchard Hill (Carshalton) NHS patient/clients/residents who have been relocated into the community in 2008. The staff have cared for the residents/clients over many years and as former NHS employee have always taken pride in the quality of care they provide.

When Orchard Hill closed, as a NHS employee they were transferred to MCCH (a registered charity) under TUPE arrangements the staff were reassured these arrangements would protect our terms and conditions into the future. They also hoped the London Borough of Sutton would honor those arrangements after it took control of the contract from the NHS.

However, now the care the clients receive and the pay and condition of care staff are facing significant detrimental changes. UNISON understands that the London Borough of Sutton have notified MCCH that they intend to cut significantly the hourly rate they are willing to pay for care.

The Council officers have stated that the reason for the high level of cuts in funding, is due to Central Government ‘s reduction in Council funding, yet as recently as 14th June 2012 Government Ministers have stated that far from being cut extra resources were being made available for Adult Social Service.

The cuts are such, that the pay falls well below that agreed by the Mayor’s London Living Wage commitment of £8.30 and at £7.60 represents a significant cut in our hourly pay. Apart from the loss in pay, the care staff are also set to have cuts to our holiday leave entitlement, sick pay entitlement, London weighting and our pension for our retirement axed.  Those single mothers employed by the organisation face particular hardship and now face the prospect of losing their homes as a direct result of these proposals.

Michael Walker UNISON Regional Officer states "The experience of cuts of this magnitude elsewhere in care services has led to the loss of dedicated staff who the clients know and trust, problems recruiting quality staff and high turnover of staff.  "The situation is very grave for the is group of long serving and dedicated care staff, UNISON is not going to stand ideally by and watch a spiral of pay cuts to develop in the care sector"

"We urge the London Borough of Sutton to reopen discussions with UNISON and the MCCH to resolve this intolerable and devastating proposal".  Kim Brown UNISON Steward at MCCH states  "The care staff are truly shocked at the level of pay cuts they are being expected to accept and have no idea how they will be able to pay their bills.

"Some long serving staff are informing UNISON that the cuts in pay are so severe that their take home pay is equivalent to that they were paid 10 years ago, in 2002, Other staff are informing us that their own sons and daughters are earning more at local supermarkets"

NOTE: Paul Burstow MP is the local MP for Sutton and is the Governments Community Care Minister. London borough of Sutton is a Liberal Democratic Controlled Council

UNISON NDC 12: "Supporting organising on the ground"

Tuesday lunchtime I went to my first Conference "fringe".  Sue Highton  (NEC) was chair.  I was late so I missed the contribution from Graeme Horne, Branch Secretary, Birmingham LG.

However, I did listen to the branch organisers Louise Hoare and Lewis Carson who were employed via the UNISON fighting fund to recruit and organise in social care nursing homes. 

Many employers in the sector are either obstructive or even anti-trade union. They have had to resort to "cold calling" and leafleting outside workplaces. Yet they have recruited members and potential activists.  It is vital they support members to become activists or any recruitment will not prove sustainable.  A £10 "recruit a friend or colleague" prize proved successful.

Greg Thomson, Head of Strategic Organisers, UNISON introduced the new UNISON mobile phone app.  He was at pains to say that this is not a "new organiser" but there to support organisers. You can sign up members "on line". Diana Veitch, National Development Officer, UNISON explained that there will be 11 areas in the app. Three main aims is that it will enable mapping of members, be dynamic, efficient and future proof.

Roger McKenzie, AGS for Organising finished the seminar by saying what many members want from the union is a "superhero" to help them. What we need to do is to empower members to realise that they are the real "superheros". We do need to move away from a servicing model to organising model with a supportive servicing element.

Roger made it clear that there is no high tech substitute to talking to people but what we want to open is many gateways as possible. We do need to establish a new "2 way" relationship with our members. We need to look at the things we do differently.

UNISON NDC 2012

I took this picture this morning on route to the UNISON National Delegate Conference in Bournemouth. This is my first conference as a member of UNISON’s National Executive Committee. So it feels very strange to be on the “platform” and not part of the branch or regional delegation.  

At 8.30am we had a brief NEC meeting on conference housekeeping. Then I went to meet my branch (Housing Association) delegation before the conference started at 10am.

The President, NHS theatre nurse, Eleanor Smith opened conference. First was the usual formal reports and Financial Statement. Followed by motions. The first was an excellent debate on Health and Safety. 

There is a live blog at the UNISON website here and even a Live Stream. Twitter hash tag #undc12

I’ll try and post on key debates and fringes as and when.

Members (not Miserablists) to decide on pensions

Today the annual conference for UNISON members who work in Local Government opened in Bournemouth.

I no longer work in Local Government so this year I was not present but I will be down for the UNISON National Delegate Conference on Tuesday as the NEC member for Community.

However, as a long standing member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) I was very pleased to hear that the Local Government conference today rejected calls to oppose the new proposed LGPS 2014 and it will now go out to consultation to all members.

Check my post here on "The new LGPS 2014 (and the old Miserablists)".

I did follow some of the debate via twitter on #ulgc12 and #undc12 and apart from the usual silly trolls I was surprised to see how some delegates who lost the vote and therefore disagreed with the democratic decision reacted by attacking their own union for being "cowardly"? Which does make me really wonder why they want to remain a member of an union they publicly attack in such abusive terms? Very strange?

Now the chief miserablists are attacking the union because they disagreed with the Chair of the Conference for not calling a "Card vote" on a motion. Which is different.  I admit that I was not there today but everyone I have contacted about the vote say that the decision by Conference (although close) was clear and a card vote should not have taken place. So I assume it is sour grapes as per usual by the miserablists.

One further point. I note that some of the miserablists, while complaining that they did not win the day, said never mind there was plenty of time to rubbish the new scheme to members before there is a new ballot? 

Hmmm? Do these people actually realise how important pensions are to ordinary working people? I may be wrong but I think that it is probable that the LGPS 2014 will be accepted. Now I think that would be a good decision and it the right of others to disagree. But what these others should be conscious of is that we have already the worse uptake of membership in the LGPS of any of the public sector schemes. Now, you might think that the scheme could be better but if you start rubbishing it and you get one member not join or leave the scheme as a consequence and die in absolute poverty then shame on you.

With pension auto-enrolling later this year and next we have an once in a life time opportunity to organise, recruit and persuade members to join a decent pension scheme. No matter what your views are of LGPS 2014 - don't attack it as a "bad" or "rubbish" scheme.  You think it could be better, which is an entirely different issue. Once this ballot is over (one way or another) we will all have a job of work to do to get our members to remain and join the scheme.

(picture above of some of those who should be deciding the future of the scheme by a secret ballot).

update: Check out UNISONactive take on yesterday

The new LGPS 2014 (and the old Miserablists)

On Wednesday I went to a presentation/Q&A by UNISON to London Region on the proposed new Local Government Pension Scheme 2014. It was on the whole a fairly good humoured and constructive meeting.

I think that the points that struck home with the audience was that 90% of scheme members will pay the same in the new scheme (or less). Only the very high paid will pay more (and they will be gain by higher rate tax relief)

Members within 10 years of retirement will be fully protected (so-called Grandparent Rights).

It will be a fairer, non-discriminatory scheme.  It will improve the build up of benefits for everyone but in particular will mean a better pension for low paid women workers who have average service who will pay less and gain more (70% of our members are women).

There will be a new temporary 50% cut in the cost of staying in the pension scheme (with a corresponding cut in benefits). This will help stop members leaving when they have temporary financial problems. One of my top stewards recently admitted she had to leave the scheme to pay for childcare. Something she had always regretted.

More room for flexible retirement age (still from age 55). I cannot count the number of members I have met who want to "downsize" when they get older and take less stressful roles but cannot under the present scheme since if they if they do so towards the end of their career their final pension will be massively cut.

Workers who depend on non contractual overtime and other earnings will finally be able to protect their full income when they retire.

While the preservation (against huge opposition) and extension of “Fair deal” will protect workers who face or have been out sourced. They will be able to keep their pensions! This is a significant improvement. Which nobody who really cares about the future of working people should put at risk.

The scheme is different and complex but not impossible to understand. There were a number of good questions and points made in the Q&A (even by some of the usual suspects). Yet the miserablists were also present. Barracking, muttering, carping, misrepresenting and scaremongering. Making grossly inaccurate statements and indulging in self important grand standing.

I made the point that as a member of the LGPS for 19 years I was pleased that we now finally have the prospect of a truly long term affordable and sustainable pension scheme. The LGPS 2014 is a world class guaranteed scheme. Which we should now be arguing that all employers, private and public, should either join the scheme if eligible (and many will be) or use as a benchmark to set up a similar scheme to give their workers decent pensions.

To illustrate the value of the scheme I pointed out that where I work those UNISON members who have no access to the LGPS and have to pay into a non guaranteed personal pension scheme would have to save over their career, a saving pot of £300,000 to get a similar £10,000 per year pension. This savings pot would also potentially go up and down due to the vagaries of the stock market. So who knows what you will retire on.

The current average lifelong personal pension saving pot is £32,000. Do the maths.

Everyone is perfectly entitled (and expected) to query and challenge. I can understand those who say that they don't yet understand all what is being proposed yet or even those who genuinely think that we did have the bargaining power to get an even better deal.

I am forced to conclude that the miserablists however don’t give the proverbial about what are the best interests for members. They are driven by their ultra left sectarianism. Nothing would satisfy them. As a longstanding pension activist I can say with certainly that they had no interest whatsoever in pensions before they saw the opportunity to "strike chase" on the backs of ordinary workers. They are extremists who want to hijack the dispute to indulge in their toy town gesture politics.

Ironically it is the Tory right who are spitting the most blood and crying "betrayal" at our deal.
This week I came across, let us say, a "leading opponent" of public sector DB pensions. Who told me that the Government had "surrendered" to the unions. When I told him that there was some opposition to the proposals, he was genuinely shocked and said "don't they really realise how good it is"? I said yes most of them do, but they pretend otherwise.

UNISON has been clear from the beginning that once we have a final offer then it will be put to the members to decide in a secret ballot.

Let us also make clear that LGPS 2014 is potentially a bloody good deal won by our negotiators and our collective action. A perfect deal? No deal is ever perfect but this is really as good as it gets.

But the members should decide.

(Youtube video of leading lights of UNISON united left HotAir guitarists plotting world domination)

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. 

Ken thanks London UNISON for help during Mayoral campaign

This letter from Ken Livingstone was sent to Linda Perks, the London UNISON Regional Secretary and circulated to our regional committee.

"Dear Linda
Thank you for everything you and London Unison did to help with the London Mayoral election campaign.

London Unison has been fantastic - not simply by donating, but through unwavering support, the ideas you contributed and the campaigning you undertook.

Please also accept my thanks for the very excellent work of London TULO, without which we would have been far less effective.

The trade union movement is central to achieving progress in our society.  From the outset I wanted a campaign that worked with the unions, that knitted in the progressive ideas of the trade union movement, and sought to address the very issues faced by our trade union members.  I am proud that we worked so hard to achieve those goals.

Many people wrote the campaign off from the start and could not have expected it would come so close. I am sorry that I was unable to pull off a victory that so many hard-pressed Londoners were depending on.

We didn't win, but the idea of a fairer London should not be lost.  Our policies showed a fairer way forward for the Capital's residents: cutting fares; improved neighbourhood policing; introducing a London EMA; providing better and cheaper housing; helping people with the cost of living from affordable childcare to reducing price of household energy bills.

Please ensure my thanks are passed on to everyone in the union who played their part.

It has been a great inspiration to be part of this London election campaign with you. I very much look forward to working with you again in the future.

Thank you again.

In solidarity

Ken Livingstone

"New local government pensions proposals released"

UNISON press release here "The Local Government Association (LGA) and trade unions have today announced the outcome of their negotiations on new LGPS proposals (for England and Wales) to take effect from 1st April 2014.

These proposals will now be communicated to scheme members, employers, funds and other scheme interests. Unions will consult their members over these proposals and the LGA will consult employers. The government has confirmed that a favourable outcome of our consultations will enable them to move directly to a statutory consultation later in the Autumn to implement these proposals.

The main provisions of the proposed LGPS 2014 are:

1 A Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme using CPI as the revaluation factor (the current scheme is a final salary scheme).

2 The accrual rate would be 1/49th (the current scheme is 1/60th).

3 There would be no normal scheme pension age, instead each member’s Normal Pension Age (NPA) would be their State Pension Age (the current scheme has an NPA of 65).

4 Average member contributions to the scheme would be 6.5% (same as the current scheme) with the rate determined on actual pay (the current scheme determines part-time contribution rates on full time equivalent pay). While there would be no change to average member contributions, the lowest paid would pay the same or less and the highest paid would pay higher contributions on a more progressive scale after tax relief.

5 Members who have already or are considering opting out of the scheme could instead elect to pay half contributions for half the pension, while still retaining the full value of other benefits. This is known as the 50/50 option (the current scheme has no such flexible option).

6 For current scheme members, benefits for service prior to 1st April are protected, including remaining ‘Rule of 85’ protection. Protected past service continues to be based on final salary and current NPA.

7 Where scheme members are outsourced they will be able to stay in the scheme on first and subsequent transfers (currently this is a choice for the new employer).

All other terms remain as in the current scheme. Future scheme costs will be monitored and controlled to ensure stability and affordability of the LGPS. Further details on cost management and scheme governance will be released once the ongoing discussions in the next part of the LGPS 2014 project are complete.

Heather Wakefield, UNISON National Secretary Local Government, Police and Justice Section said:

“The negotiations over LGPS 2014 have been long and tough and have taken place in a demanding political and economic climate. The process has shown that UNISON, the LGA and the other local government unions can work productively together in the best interests of LGPS members and potential members.

LGPS 2014 is a sustainable, defined benefit scheme, which is designed to protect existing members and be affordable for the low paid and part-time workers who are its majority. Under exacting circumstances, we have achieved the best possible outcome.”

ENDS

(I'll post futher once I have read the details but it is looking like a very good deal)

Update: further information from the LGA here