Mark Serwotka calls pensions raid only "slightly less"

Commenting on the latest offer from the government over pensions, Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka said:

"Any new offer is always welcome but the latest concessions are only marginal and would still force public servants to pay more in and work longer for less in retirement.

"Effectively ministers are saying they will only raid pensions by slightly less than they were planning to.

"The money raised will still go straight to the Treasury to pay off the deficit, not into pension schemes that have been shown to be affordable now and in future.

"It is not true that people close to retirement age will be protected, because they will still be forced to pay up to three times as much for a pension already devalued by up to 20% by the imposed switch in indexation which we have challenged in the High Court.

"It should be remembered that this latest offer was only wrung out of ministers by the threat of mass industrial action on 30 November, and following our successful strike with other unions in June.

"We will look at the details to see how they affect our members, but we continue our plans to make 30 November the biggest strike we have ever seen.

"It remains to be seen if ministers are prepared to stop tinkering around the edges and start talking to us about the core issues of concern for millions of public sector workers."

From a PCS press release

PCS conference votes for more joint action against cuts

Brighton: PCS conference - Socialist Party public meeting

M10: Angry workers walk out across the country

Pensions strike reports - 10th May

Message of support to the 10 May strikers

Transport department workers vote to strike over cuts

Pensions:

NHS GMB members vote No to pensions deal

It's our NHS - Let's fight for it!

Why prison officers joined the protests

Solidarity against far-right thugs

Mark Serwotka:

Fight Labour's welfare privatisation

Workers united against pay freeze

Unison witch-hunt: Defend 'the four'

Pension:

There is an alternative - socialism!

Our Demands

Visteon pensioners protesting at Westminister, 28 March

Unions:

A strategy to stop austerity and bring down the government of the super-rich

The main parties

Labour - no friend of trade unions

Public sector:

Come to the 6th annual NSSN conference!

Don't accept the misery of austerity

Public sector