07 September 2011

Council staff risk being ‘dragged’ into autumn pension strikes


Jonathan Werran

Failure to secure agreement over reforms to the local government pension scheme (LGPS) could result in council staff being 'dragged' into mass walkouts this autumn, a leading trade union official has warned.

Speaking at a symposium addressing the future of the LGPS, Brian Strutton, national secretary for public services for the GMB , said he remained confident that the 'circle can be squared' with local government employers and agreement reached on making enormous cost savings to the scheme.

Describing his union's approach as a 'pragmatic one' he argued the local government schemes should be dealt with in the round and more quickly than the other, unfunded public sector schemes.

Commenting on the separate scheme talks, Mr Strutton said: 'All the reports from them are entirely negative, and the predictions are for further industrial action, probably in November - and not just who went on strike in June, but a much wider spectrum of all public sector workers. There is a risk of us being dragged into that.'

Ministers have set a strict timetable to agree proposals for pensions reform. By 9 September employers led by the LGA and unions are expected to submit a package of measures to Eric Pickles outlining how they would make the cost-savings. The DCLG will then enter into a statutory 12-week consultation period in order to affect the changes from April 2012.

Ministers have set a strict timetable to agree proposals for pensions reform. By 9 September employers led by the LGA and unions are expected to submit a package of measures to Eric Pickles outlining how they would make the cost-savings. The DCLG will then enter into a statutory 12-week consultation period in order to affect the changes from April 2012.

LGA Chair Sir Merrick Cockell, who joined the panel organised by the London Pension Fund Authority, said although talks had been constructive and held in a good spirit agreement is still yet to be reached between employers and unions.

Expressing his dislike for the proposed single act, set to be passed by legislation next year, he dismissed it as an 'overarching' attempt by Treasury to exert ever more control over local government.



Your comments

Please to advise that we are witnessing the end of the public sector gravy train as we know it. Even low ranking PS employees are sickened by the hierachy fleecing the country. We in the private sector do not want reform. We want the extended sick leave to remain. We want the re-employment of early retirees to continue, and of course we want the pensions to continue haemouraging funds because it is all leading to privatisation thus ridding the country of this great big white elephant.

Michael Dewar, Added: Thursday, 8 September 2011 08:45 AM

With the greatest respect to the previous comment. I have been in the LGPS for 17 years and it is part of my package. I will fight on the beaches if necessary to defend my contract which included a final salary pension scheme. Bankers had to receive their unjustified pay because it was in their contract. You just cannot rip an agreement up and rob people of their pension. A large part of the National debt is caused by banker bailouts. The government now expect me to pick up the bill.

David Hambly, Added: Wednesday, 7 September 2011 05:07 PM

No one is being 'dragged' into industrial action, they are chosing to disrupt the taxpayers. The very generous defined benefit pension under offer was always a mistake. They should have been placed on a Defined contribution scheme, to remove the risk from the taxpayer. This will only exacerbate the deficit and leave yet another problem for our children

J Smith, Added: Wednesday, 7 September 2011 04:02 PM



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