Pensions at the Women’s STUC

Following another set of positive ballot results for action on November 30th, the STUC Women’s Conference debated a composite on public sector pensions on Tuesday. The debate highlighted the usual issues of working longer, paying more and getting less but recognised the particular effects that the changes would have on women as public sector workers.

The campaign supported the STUC campaign for pensions justice, and asked for a vigorous campaign in defence of public sector pensions, and support for the unions in the campaign of industrial action. Jane Carolan spoke on behalf of UNISON:-

“November 3rd was a historic day for my trade union. On November 3rd UNISON received the results of our industrial action ballot over pensions. A ballot of 1.1 million members. 800,000 women working across health, housing, local government, police, education and the community and voluntary sector.

The largest industrial action ballot this century.

No union goes into industrial action easily. No one in this room would. We negotiate. It’s what we do.
So on pensions we have negotiated with the Gruesome Twosome, Maude and Alexander.
There have been nine months of negotiations, nine months of lard labour negotiating.

What have we got?

Be clear. What happened on November 2nd was no new deal. There was a statement about an ideal scheme to inform to inform the sector negotiations in health, local government, the civil service

Note that phrase. “To inform negotiations.”

To use a local expression about that, did they think we came up the Clyde on a bicycle?
What would your members think, you go into have a discussion with management about a problem, and then come back and tell them, well there’s no solution but they told us a nice fairy tale? Well you know how our members feel.

Alexander’s statement to parliament has the same connection to reality.
The pension’s deal is still about paying more.
Working longer,
Getting less.
This is not about pensions sustainability, affordability, or longevity/
We signed sealed and delivered on a deal on those issues with the last Labour Government.
So don’t believe the Daily Mail.

This has nothing to do with taxpayers having to shell out. Taxpayers pay out more in tax relief for the private sector.

The reality for a woman in local government is a pension of £56 a week.

The reality is that a woman who has chosen a career in health or local government, and aged 45 faces another 22 years before a pension.

That’s a working life of 47 years.

How many MP’s will work for 47 years before getting a pension?

Certainly not Danny Alexander I hope.

And to get that pension, that pittance, that woman who has faced a 2 year pay freeze is now asked to pay 50 per cent more in contributions.

Paid not into her pension scheme, that might make sense in some kind of way.
But straight to George Osborne to pay of the debts of international financial capitalism.

So don’t be surprised that 87% of health workers in Scotland voted for action.
For the first health strike in a generation.

Don’t be surprised that there was a similar vote across all our members.

And please note, we take no lessons in turnout form those elected on 23 per cent of the vote Mr Cameron.

This is not about private against public.
This is about pensions justice- pensions justice for women.

Never forget that this remains one of the wealthiest counties on the planet.
So this dispute is about priorities
It is about dignity in retirement.
Dignity for us- and dignity for our daughters. Otherwise how much longer than 47 years will they be asked to work?

I hope that all of you here working in the public sector will be joining the action on November 30th.
And for those of you not taking action, please support your local pickets.