The Socialist 2 February 2006

Pensions: Public-sector workers say 'Back down or we strike!'

Pensions: 'Back down or we strike!'

United mass action can defeat Blair's pensions plans

Firefighters prepare to strike against pensions' robbery

Building a new shop stewards' movement

Healthworkers back RMT and Socialist Party initiatives

2006: Year of opportunity

100 British victims of Blair's war

Political earthquake as Hamas wins election

Public health not private profit

Campaigning against privatisation of schools in Hackney

Lambeth students' successful boycott

Civil servants strike back at Blair's cuts agenda

Post Office: National action needed to defend jobs

Fighting council cuts in Devon

Defence workers battle privatisation

Previous issues, etc

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Pensions

Public-sector workers say...

'Back down or we strike!'

That's the warning served on the government last week by the leaders of eleven public-sector unions representing over a million workers. They announced they are to begin a strike ballot on 20 February for a series of strikes, possibly starting on 28 March.

Glenn Kelly, a member of UNISON's national executive council said:

"Those of us in the local government pension scheme are already the Cinderellas of public-sector pensions and we have no intention of being turned into mice!

"The government is in league with the Tory employers. They are proposing to push ahead and attack our pensions, despite the fact that our union has shown that legislative change has already been made that allows employers to save enough to cover any shortfall, leave our scheme as it is and pay for improvements.

"At the UNISON local government national executive (representing 900,000 members) my proposal for a programme of escalating strike action and for the TUC to name the day for a national pension demo was won. This will help to cut across any attempts to divide workers in the public sector from those in the private-sector."

UNISON's ballot is part of a joint campaign by nine unions representing workers in the local government and firefighters' pension schemes. One of the key unions involved in this is the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, told the socialist:

"Our conference policy is if there are any proposed detrimental changes to our pension scheme our conference will be recalled to discuss it. Our recall conference will meet in Southport on 16 February.

"A resolution is now being discussed by our members that would launch a ballot for strike action. It has given FBU members extra confidence that other workers in local government are also preparing to ballot for strike action."