Local government pensions:

United action planned

UNISON'S INDUSTRIAL Action Committee has approved a request to ballot members over the government's plans to attack local government workers' pensions.

The ballot will start around 20 February and the result should be declared by 10 March. Any action would start at the end of March.

This ballot is part of a joint campaign by nine unions representing 1.5 million workers in the local government pensions scheme. UNISON, Amicus, TGWU, GMB, UCATT, CYWU, Napo, NUT and FBU have agreed this strategy.

The average pension for workers in the scheme is only £3,800 a year. But 72% of the scheme's members are women, for whom the average is less than £2,000 a year.

The FBU is due to have an emergency recall conference on 16 February to recommend a ballot for strike action.

Striking to save jobs & services