No sellout on pensions

It appears that a full-scale sellout is on the cards in the pensions dispute. The leaders of the larger unions, Unison and GMB, want to sign up to "heads of agreement" with the Government despite the fact that we have won nothing of significance.

NUT, UCU and PCS are said to be outraged at this development.

This is being done in the run-up to the Xmas break with the leadership hoping that they can get this betrayal through with minimal resistance.

The statement below has been issued by a number of trade unionists. Please add your name.

A group of leading trade unionists have issued the following statement after reports of moves to end the present pensions dispute:

The government’s “final offer” is no improvement. There is no extra money on offer. The government still wants public sector workers to work longer, pay more and get less. They haven’t moved on core issues:

Fifty percent rise in pension contributions.
Normal pension age to rise to the state retirement age.
Retirement at 68 for those 34 and under.
Pensions indexed at CPI instead of RPI. A cut for all existing pensioners.
We agree with those union general secretaries who are against accepting this offer. We ask all union general secretaries – if it was right to strike against these proposals on 30 November how it can be right to accept them now? Ordinary trade union members have demonstrated their determination to resist these unfair and unnecessary changes; we call on our trade union leaders to reject the government's bullying tactics and reject this unacceptable offer.

Alex Kenny NUT Executive member (Inner London)

Andrew Baisley Camden NUT branch secretary

Dave Harvey NUT Executive member (Outer London)

Martin Powell-Davis NUT Executive member (Inner London)

Mark Campbell UCU Executive member

Liz Lawrence UCU Executive member

Sean Vernell UCU Executive member

Loraine Monk UCU Executive member

Christine Vie UCU Executive member

David Armstrong UCU Executive member

Guy Stoate UCU Executive member

Sign the statement here: http://bit.ly/sVyIla

View the signatories here: http://bit.ly/rJ8SGJ


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