Leeds university Unison – Save our pensions!

Leeds North West Socialist Party

University of Leeds Unison members held a day of action on 31 May over attacks on the PAS pension scheme, a final salary scheme for non-academic staff. Staff held a lobby of the University Council as well as a public rally for decent pensions earlier in the day.

Around 70 people attended the rally which opened with solidarity greetings being given from Leeds UCU, Leeds Against the Cuts and the National Pensioners Convention.

As speakers from the floor pointed out, many low-paid, part-time workers struggle to afford pension contributions. Others drew the link with other disputes over pensions with the same theme of work longer, pay more and get less, as well as calling for coordinated action with academic staff and students.

Around 60 Unison and Unite members came along to the lobby to confront university council members.

Union members view this as just the start of a campaign on campus and seem determined to meet any attacks with determined resistance. The t-shirts distributed by the Unison branch expressed the feelings of many workers: “Get Angry and Fight Back”.