#uNDC11 This morning Lilian Macer of Scotland moved Composite B on 'Defending our Pensions' in the major debate of this year's Conference:
'The composite details some of the nature of the attack on our pensions.
It outlines the steps we will need to take,
in our branches, in our workplaces and in our communities
We will need to act in our own right as UNISON
But also as one union among many
standing up for fairness in work and decency in retirement.
It is vital that the Government are stopped
not just because they are attacking our elderly
All though they are
Not just because they are blighting the retirement prospects of millions - although they are doing that too
No. The government must be stopped because the attack on our pensions is designed to make it easier to privatise the services we deliver.
As Danny Alexander demonstrated last week ,
The Government don’t seem interested in a sensible dialogue about reforming pensions.
If they were they would at least be prepared to engage constructively with us - as the Scottish Government seem to be doing.
For the Con Dems it seems to be about undermining public sector pensions
With the aim of undermining public services
There is no other explanation
You cannot turn round
to people on low incomes,
with static wages,
In a time of inflation -
And tell them that their pension contributions are going to go up by a half.
For many people that will make the difference between joining and not joining a pension
As money gets tighter people will leave the schemes in large numbers
In the short term that makes it harder for the pension funds to function.
And in the longer term, it means the benefit bill goes up, as people retire without enough to live on.
So why are they doing it?
It’s not about affordability or economics - it’s about politics.
Yes, The Government will tell you they need to cut the amount of money they’re paying out, because they say they want to bring the deficit down.
And after all as Danny Alexander told us last week – we need to take pension cuts because...
“Everyone is under financial pressure right now”
I could be harsh here and point out that Mr Alexander earns £134 000 a year
– and that his boss Mr Osborne is a Millionaire ,
and his boss Mr Cameron is a millionaire too.
But that would be personalising the issue - And I’ll do that later.
But regarding this terrible financial pressure
I was reading through Sunday Times Rich List a few weeks ago
Between them the One Thousand Richest People in Britain are worth Three hundred and Ninety Five Billion Pounds
And in the last year their wealth went up
By eighteen percent
If the Tories were serious about cutting the deficit -
They would be making the super rich
- who aren’t so super , but by God are they rich
-pay their fair share.
That’s what they would be doing.
Not trying to steal from cleaners,
and dinner ladies ,
and nurses.
I’ll say it again.
Their attack on our pensions is about their politics
A politics that hates public services,
A politics that hates public servants,
A politics that loves privatisation.
They even admit it -
This is what John Cridland the director general of the CBI said about our pensions:
“Pension reforms will help the prime minister's "big society" programme to really get off the ground.
Public sector pensions remain the biggest barrier to the private and third sectors providing public services....
When third sector and private sector organisations currently bid for work they have to be able to cover the full cost of public sector pension liabilities, and many simply do not have the money to do so.”
There you have it
Straight from the fat cats mouth.
They are trying to steal our pensions so that they can privatise the services we deliver
And if there is anyone out there thinks privatising vital services is a good idea
I’ve only got two words to say to you
SOUTHERN CROSS
So Conference
By standing up for our pensions
We’re not just standing up for ourselves
We’re standing up for the services we deliver
and the people that depend on them.
So if you’re in your workplace and someone is saying
“Why should I bother, I’m not in the pension scheme?”
Tell them.
It’s their fight too - because after they’ve come for our pensions
They’ll come back for our jobs.
And when you’re outside work
And people are asking why they should be bothered about our pensions
Tell them that we really are all in this together
Tell them it’s as much a fight for them as it is for ourselves.
A fight for Decency at Work,
Dignity in Retirement
And their Public Services
That’s the case we should be making, in every workplace , in every community , in every politicians surgery
- and if the Government won’t see sense, Conference.
Let there be no doubt
It’s the case we’ll make from the picket line.
Conference –
I know pensions can sometimes seem like a complicated issue
But actually it’s not
Because the ConDems have changed this from a complex matter, of graphs and charts and percentages
They’ve put it in plain simple language
That can be understood by you
By me
And more importantly
every single one of our million members
The Con Dems want us to
Pay more.
Work longer.
And Get less.
Well Conference.
We have a response
in plain simple language
You’re. Not. On.
Not long ago, David Cameron labelled Public Servants, including our members, as enemies of enterprise.
I don’t believe him
But as long as David Cameron keeps acting like Robin Hood in reverse
He’s an enemy of decency.
As long as David Cameron is attacking our elderly and trying to blight our futures
He’s an enemy of decency
As long as he’s using pensions as a battering ram for privatisation
He’s an enemy of decency
Because our pensions are not a perk or a benefit,
They’re not a bonus or an added extra
Our pensions
are part of our wages
are part of our security, and our future
And we will not have them stolen from us.
So let’s take this campaign forward.
In the knowledge that,
if we fight we can win.
We can win this campaign – not just because we’ve got the determination, and the organisation, and the numbers (although we do)
No - We can win,
because we are on the side of
fairness in work, decency in retirement
and supporting public services.
David Cameron, is on the side of
Misery in work,
Poverty in retirement
and
Privatising public services.
Conference lets go out
work hard,
work together
and stop the Great Pensions Robbery'
