Pensions
Latest Pension Update
LGPS ballot timetable announced.
Pension
Bulletin No. 25
updated 4.7.2007
Minister keeps retirement protection until 2020.
Press Release
updated 20.6.2007
A Communities and Local Government (CLG) informal consultation has begun
on giving LGPS members in England and Wales equality with members in Scotland.
Campaign
Bulletin
updated 30.5.2007
Minister launches informal consultation on extending full protection to 2020.
updated 25.5.2007
updated 14.5.2007
UNISON, in conjunction with our advisors, has developed a ready reckoner for use by members.
Visit Unison's national website where you can download the ready reckoner along with all the explanatory notes.
updated 7.3.2007
Draft Redundancy and Efficiency Provisions Changed
Pension
Bulletin No. 22
updated 2.2.2007
Questions on the LGPS
LGPS Consultation latest update FAQ's
updated 31.1.2007
Service Groups Discuss New Proposals and Agree Way Forward
Read more...
Pension Bulletin No. 21.
Draft Regulations Deferred
Minister holds fire on Draft Regulations - Unison pressure pays off!
Pension Bulletin No. 20.
updated 6.12.2006
Six Weeks of Campaigning to Save the LGPS!
The next six weeks are going to be absolutely crucial to the future of the LGPS. The LGA and the Employers are pushing for a worse scheme for higher contributions despite saving money already by removing the 85 Rule and introducing the 25% lump sum commutation. And neither they nor the Government have yet agreed to more protection so read Bulletin No. 19 to find out what you must do.
updated 19.10.2006
Judicial Review Refused,
But the Pensions Campaign Goes On!
UNISON’s judicial review against the government’s plans to axe the 85- year rule in the Local Government Pension Scheme has been refused, but the campaign goes on, the union has vowed. Click here to read the latest pension’s campaign newsletter.
updated 13.10.2006
The Trade Union Side has considered the informal consultation paper 'Where Next?' by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). We want to improve the LGPS for all existing and potential members and have agreed our preferred options for the new scheme. We have therefore put together a briefing paper 'Options for new LGPS - Trade Union Side Objectives' setting out our key aims.
Please have a look at these proposals and get as many members to sign the petition as well.
All filled in sheets can be forwarded to the branch office.
updated 21.08.2006
Joint Union Negotiations and Campaign Newsupdated 07.08.2006
URGENT - Selective Action Deferred
There have been informal talks today with officers of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and with officers of the Local Government Association. Further talks will be taking place early next week to determine whether or not we can reach an agreement with the LGA to protect existing staff and to enable talks to take place on the new scheme.
The LGA has called an urgent meeting of its leaders for Wednesday. In order to enable the talks to take place within a positive climate, it has been decided to defer the industrial action in the Meat Hygiene Service. Further action is being planned in the event that these discussions fail. We will keep you informed immediately of any developments.
You should, therefore, report for work as normal on Monday 3 April and thereafter.
updated 03.04.2006
UNISON Escalates Strike Action in Response to Government Provocation
UNISON is condemning the deputy prime minister's provocative action in pressing ahead with changes to local government pensions, despite the trade unions putting forward proposals yesterday to resolve the dispute.
John Prescott's action today in laying an order in Parliament to cut pension rights is provocative, premature and unnecessary. It will further inflame the anger felt by our members at the way in which they are being treated by their Government and their employers.
We put forward proposals both yesterday and today that would have formed the basis for joint talks. The government is proposing to abolish the Rule of 85 from October this year. An Order to this effect doesn't need to be laid until the summer recess in July. This delay would have allowed further talks to take place. These proposals have clearly been rejected by the deputy prime minister. This will simply increase our determination to see this dispute through.
All 11 unions involved in the dispute have also sent out a briefing which I urge you to read: www.unison.org.uk/file/B2392.pdf
Next week, 1,000 meat hygiene service members (meat inspectors) - the people who make sure the meat on our plates is safe - will strike from midnight Sunday 2 April to midnight Friday 7 April.
More than one million members will be called out in a rolling programme of regional strike action between 25 and 27 April. Details of possible further action in May will be announced later.
Good luck with your campaigning
Dave Prentis General secretary
updated 03.04.2006
Strike meeting for all UNISON members
Wednesday 22 March 2006 at 12:00 County Hall, Council Chamber.
See poster for details
updated 20.03.2006
Members Vote for Pensions Action
UNISON members have voted Yes to strike action over pensions by an overwhelming majority.
Some 80% supported strike action to demand fair treatment over pension rights in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The union's industrial action committee today endorsed the first day of strike action on 28 March. UNISON will be joined in the action by nine other unions.
General Secretary Dave Prentis said:
"Civil servants, teachers, police, firefighters and the NHS have all been
given protection for existing members over changes to their pension scheme.
There is absolutely no rhyme or reason in singling out LGPS members for such
unfair and unjust treatment. Our members deserve the pensions they have already
paid for".
79.6% voted Yes to industrial action on a 28% turnout.
A further Tripartite Committee meeting was held yesterday. Although we have established through our work with the independent actuaries AON that there are sufficient savings to provide full protection and scheme improvements, the LGA made it clear that they would not allow the savings to be used for this purpose. They believe that the savings should be used to keep employer costs and the Council Tax down or for what they predict will be further increases in longevity!
updated 15.03.06
Urgent - Every member of Unison needs to do their bit in this vital Pension Campaign
We need your support now. You can do this by writing to your MP and Councillors by using the model letters provided.
Get family and friends to write to their MP and Councillors on your behalf.
Model Letter to MP's | Model Letter to Councillors
Find your local MP | Find your local Councillor
ACT NOW
UK bosses to retire at 60 in luxury
Eight out of ten of the UK's leading companies have pension schemes that allow directors to retire at 60 on a full pension, according to research published by the TUC today.
The research also revealed that director's pensions are worth, on average, 26 times those of most employees, and 30 times that of the public sector pensions.
The report also showed that 98% of final salary pension schemes for executives have a normal retirement age of less than 65.
Out of more than 50 companies examined in the report, only one expected some of their executives to work until they are 65.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said Britain's boardrooms are secure in a pensions ivory tower.
"Top bosses can expect to live long retirements on luxury pensions that are far more generous than their employees can expect," he said.
"They should stop lecturing the rest of us on how we should get smaller pensions from a higher retirement age. After these revelations it is hard to see how their voice can carry much weight in the pensions debate."
The TUC research, based on annual reports of the UK's leading companies, also discovered that directors of the UK's 100 most important companies have amassed pensions worth a total of £0.9 billion which would pay out £167,000 a year if claimed now.
This is more than 26 times the national average of £6,344 a year (£129 a week), and over 30 times the average public sector pension.
LGPS Tripartite Committee, chaired by John Prescott.
The talks were inconclusive and will continue in two weeks time.
Our key aim is to avert imposition by Regulation of changes to the scheme from 1 April 2006. While we have made some progress in relation to recouping the cost of revocation, the sticking point is the removal of the 85 Rule. Civil servants have clearly been lobbying hard for this to be done from 1 April under the age discrimination legislation. We are clearly arguing that this is not necessary and will be working hard over the next two weeks to convince John Prescott of this. We are also continuing to argue for protection arrangements which accord with the PSF agreement. The PSF agreement is crucial to our ability to argue for decent protection arrangements and has proved to be something which MP's are happy to use in arguing our case.
In the meantime we need to keep up the pressure on Prescott by getting MP's to write to him and sign the Early Day Motion. The next two weeks will determine the future not just of our campaign and our ability to avert industrial action, but the future of the LGPS itself. Please can you ensure that this message goes to branches and pension contacts and that Regional Pension Forums plan NOW for further activity over the next two weeks.
Members will be kept updated.
MPs who have
signed the motion
Pensions breakthrough
An agreement has been reached with the government that protects the pension rights of existing members of the NHS, civil service and teacher pension schemes.
Members of these schemes will receive lifetime protection, retaining the right to suffer no detriment in terms of their normal pension age, and will keep their existing pension provision.
The breakthrough came at the third meeting of the Public Services Forum held with the Secretary of State Alan Johnson MP where UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis led on behalf of the TUC unions.
In his press release Alan Johnson commented "Just like most private sector
pension reforms, the pension provision of existing scheme members will be protected"
The agreement was given the go-ahead by a meeting of the full Cabinet on 17
October 2005.
It will now go to the union's Service Group Liaison Committee and the Health Care Service Group Executive for endorsement. All of the TUC public service unions have agreed to recommend the offer.
A copy of the agreement can be downloaded from the national website.
The main features are:
- There will be scheme specific negotiations on the future of the NHS, Teacher, and civil service pension schemes. The aim will be to conclude the discussions by March 2006, with the aim of reaching agreement by June 2006.
- Existing scheme members will be fully protected and suffer no detriment in terms of their normal pension age, and will retain their existing pension provision unless individual or collective agreements within sector specific negotiations are reached which allow changes to these provisions.
- Any new scheme agreed for new starters will "continue to guarantee defined benefit provision linked to individual earnings" and "also offer indexation to protect retired members against rises in the cost of living".
- The reference age (the NPA) will be 65 for new entrants to the new schemes entering employment after the implementation date.
- New members who wish to retire at 60 will have the right to do so. They will also be offered the opportunity to increase contributions so that can retire on a full pension at 60.
- Government will make available approximately 1% of payroll to improve benefits in the new schemes or deal with the transitional / protection arrangements for existing scheme members.
It is vital that the government now applies these principles to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and the Scottish LGPS. Exploratory discussions on the LGPS have taken place and a meeting of the LGPS Tripartite Committee involving the local government unions, the Government and the local government employers will take place on 2 November.
In the meantime we will be seeking an urgent commitment from the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott that the government will also play fair by the local government workforce and keep its pensions promise to existing scheme members.
Get campaigning now!
An updated model letter for MPs and Councillors - or write one of your own pointing out that LGPS members are being treated with contempt.
News on the Pensions Campaign
UNISON is urging all members to write to their MPs and County Councillors to express dissatisfaction at the recent Government proposals outlined in the pensions campaign Bulletin No.3. Here is a model letter which you may use or glean relevant information from to draft your own letter.
Unison urges you to take action NOW, on your own behalf and your fellow UNISON
colleagues and write the letters to those who have the power to influence our
future financial circumstances and wellbeings.
It is Now or Never - Your Future is in Your Own Hands!!
Tripartite Committee
For those of you who have the time and inclination, here is the full text of the Employers' Proposals, which were tabled at the meeting of the Tripartite Committee on 22 September 2005.
REVOCATION OF LGPS AMENDMENT REGULATIONS
The local government trade unions met with the Deputy Prime Minister this afternoon. I am very pleased to confirm that, at the same time, the draft Regulations to revoke the Amendment Regulations and the letter from the ODPM have been circulated to local authorities.
You will see that the end date for the consultation period is 31 May 2005. You will also see that the letter makes absolutely clear that the Amendment Regulations will be revoked "with retrospective effect, to ensure that no Scheme member suffers any loss during the period from 1 April 2005 to the date of actual revocation." A tripartite committee will also be established to negotiate over any future changes, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister.
There have been some concerns expressed over the last two days about the consultation period and the likely implementation date of the revocation of the Amendment Regulations. Please be assured that the possibility of any delay into the Autumn was firmly and successfully opposed by the unions at a previous meeting, as you will see by today's releases.
In our meeting with John Prescott today, he made absolutely clear his intention to lay a new Order immediately following the end of the consultation period. He also asked that details of any scheme members affected by compulsory redundancy and reaching the age of 50 in the period between 1 April and the new Order be discussed with the ODPM so that advice can be given to authorities. A meeting will be held with the employers as soon as possible to ensure that the 'no detriment' message is clearly understood and that those affected as above are dealt with fairly.