UNISON Active

Gateshead rallies against Liberal Democrat betrayal of NHS

2012-03-11T09:43:00.000Z

Yesterday's rally organised by the Northern TUC and Public Service Alliance drew trade unions, community groups, Labour MPs, and campaigners to send a loud message to the Lib Dems' meeting in Gateshead. The broad range of campaigners shows the strength of feeling against the policies of this coalition government which are having a devastating impact on our communities.

The North East is seeing approximately 2,000 public sector jobs going every month; the highest level of young people's unemployment; 1.5 children living in poverty; and a private sector which is stagnant.

The credibility of the Lib Dems is on the line. There has been broken promise after broken promise - from tuition fees to the NHS. Campaigners called on the conference delegates to challenge the leadership of their party to stop them decimating public services.

There has been the broadest alliance of organisations formed against the Health and Social Care Bill - what does this government do? - ignore what they are being told. The reorganisation of the NHS on such a large scale, at a time of reduced finance will be a disaster.

This Bill is about nothing more than opening up the NHS to massive marketisation and privatisation - Shirley Williams' empty words that the amendments will stop this are completely false.

To see so many people coming together to send a message to the Lib Dems that they will never be forgiven for shoring up the most ideologically right wing government, intent on attacking working class people, and destroying our public services was inspiring.

Ultimately the majority don't want the Coalition Government's austerity policies, don't want to see some of the most vulnerable in our society being attacked, and made to pay for a crisis not of their making. The Lib Dems have lost all credibility and their short term opportunism to have a seat in power at the cost of their principles will have long term consequences for years to come.

Clare Williams

Pensions - Negotiating the Waves

2012-02-06T07:45:00.000Z

'Those who argue that unions wanting to negotiate – the majority – have ‘sold out’ and undermined trade union solidarity need to get to grips with the complexities of public sector pensions, serious areas of weakness in membership density and organisation, sectoral bargaining arrangements in the public sector. Only when they have done that should they decide whether there is a route to getting everything we want through industrial action', says UNISON's Heather Wakefield in a Red Pepper response to those who, despite the objective realities, believe their own propaganda that industrial action alone will safeguard decent public sector pensions: http://www.redpepper.org.uk/n30-and-after-was-that-it/

LRD report confirms #N30 linked membership surge across all public sector unions

2012-01-29T07:56:00.000Z

All trade unions are reporting big increases in the rate of recruitment during the final quarter of 2011. The surge in union membership because of the Pensions disputes - including in the private sector - is confirmed by research carried out by the independent Labour Research Depeartment (LRD).
http://www.lrd.org.uk/issue.php?pagid=1&issueid=1499

UNISON reports its own 'spike' in membership as part of the findings and other unions who took strike action for the first time in decades have reported similar increases - including ATL and Prospect. GMB and Unite report increases in local government and in the private sector, with the current Unilever Pensions dispute being a recruitment factor.

Sustaining these increases is the biggest challenge facing the unions, especially in a climate of austerity. An environment of massive job losses, service cuts and privatisation is an extremely difficult one for unions, especially when coupled with threats to union facilities such as time off and check off arrangements.

But this report sums up what we all knew - an active campaigning union that is relevant to the workers has the best chance to grow.

Breaking News LGPS - UNISON agrees to negotiate

2012-01-10T19:26:00.001Z

UNISON's lay representatives covering members in the LGPS met on 10th January to consider the next steps in the campaign. Each of the Service Group Executives (SGE) separately agreed a motion to proceed with detailed negotiations.

In the Local Government SGE, by far the largest in terms of the membership involved, the vote was 24 - 10 with reps from Scotland understandably abstaining as their scheme is different. The individual SGE meetings followed a joint LGPS presentation which itself followed a briefing for Regional Convenors and senior activists and staff in the morning on the latest position in the different pension schemes.
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2563

The vote to proceed will be a blow for those from some factions who had been calling UNISON to walk away from any negotiations - even though the staus quo has been secured and in the LGPS there is no detailed set of proposals as yet! Perhaps those officials and activists in some other unions who have openly tried to interfere with UNISON's decision making processes will now respect the democratic decision of UNISON's elected lay member bodies.

UNISON to consult members on NHS Pension Scheme proposals

2012-01-10T19:25:00.001Z

UNISON's health care Service Group Executive (SGE) voted decisively to put the NHS Pension Scheme Heads of Agreement to the membership. By a margin of 5 to 1 the SGE rejected calls to throw out the agreement and take immediate and sustained industrial action.

The debate, lasting nearly 3 hours was punctuated by misinformation and posturing from a small core of ultra leftists. Despite the grandstanding only five people voted to reject the agreement and some of those openly defied their regional position. The committee agreed to hold a special SGE in early February to consider the final offer and decide whether to make any recommendation in the membership ballot. It was agreed that full details including a comprehensive explanation of the proposals including how it will affect members will be prepared to go with the ballot.

The SGE recognises that our industrial action mandate remains alive. Branches will need to continue to discuss the campaign with members and prepare for action should the government renege on the proposals or the members reject the offer.

http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2563

A flawed attack on UNISON

2011-12-30T18:56:00.000Z

Author Owen Jones uses a platform on the Union News website (reprinted by Labourlist and the Morning Star) when previewing the challenges faced by unions in 2012 to make an ill founded attack on UNISON:
http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/unions-have-a-big-task-ahead-of-them-in-2012/

Jones claims that on pensions the UNISON ‘leadership looked set to lead a capitulation to the government, despite no movement on any of the key grievances. 2011 ended with a looming union defeat’. Perhaps it is understandable that, as a commentator looking in on unions from the outside, Jones relies on received knowledge from those on the ultra left who made blanket condemnation of the ‘heads of agreements’ reached for the NHS and local government pension schemes (LGPS) prior to Xmas.

Yet it is a matter of fact that the ‘key grievance’ of increased contributions has been warded off for members of the LGPS and for 2012/13 at least for all health workers with pensionable earnings less than £26,557.

The agreements are far from perfect, particularly the failure of central Cabinet Office level negotiations which led to the retention of indexation based on the imposed CPI (on which union leaderships collectively sold the pass by substituting a forlorn legal challenge for a political campaign) and the regressive link to the extended state retirement age of 66 (and ultimately 68).

Yet it serves no useful purpose for Jones to misrepresent the negotiated outcomes as achieving no movement on ’key grievances’ when he himself identifies the ’deficit tax’ as the casus belli of the strike action on 30 November - 'technically, it was over government pension “reforms” (a term whose meaning long ago went from “progressive social reforms” to “rolling them back”).

In reality, it was a deficit tax on public sector workers – with the extra contributions flowing straight into the Treasury’s coffers.'

Facts are stubborn things and no extra contributions from local government workers will flow into the Treasury's coffers. No rigorous analysis of the facts could conclude this to be the capitulation claimed by Jones.

#N30 - Treasury briefing on the £500mn Damp Squib

2011-12-24T10:29:00.002Z

Following a Freedom of Information request to the Treasury, a breakdown of the Government's £500 million estimate of the cost of the 30 November strike in defence of public sector pensions is available on line:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/breakdown_of_500_million_estimat#incoming-238434

LGPS agreement is a victory - Socialist Unity blog

2011-12-24T10:28:00.000Z

Andy Newham takes issue with those who claim that this week’s LGPS deal constitutes a defeat - ‘given the comment from some on the left, it might seem surprising to claim that this result is a victory, but I think they have both misunderstood the specific arguments about the LGPS, and also misjudged the political and industrial situation. Unfortunately, pension arrangements are an inherently complex and technical topic’
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=8758

LGPS impasse over – union consultation begins

2011-12-22T10:06:00.000Z

Following the withdrawal of Tuesday’s letter by DCLG Minister Eric Pickles - which was seen as undermining the framework agreement for taking forward negotiations on the LGPS, UNISON will be consulting on the proposals - which ward off the 1.5% pension contribution increases due to commence next April: http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2559

Heather Wakefield, UNISON National Secretary for local government, said: "we are pleased that the agreement on principles and a timeline for more talks on the local government pensions scheme are back on track. They have the green light from government, marking a major step forward in the dispute over public sector pensions. We have always argued that as the local government scheme has funds worth more than £140bn, it should be dealt with in a different way to the other Treasury-backed schemes.

The full agreement – which applies to England & Wales only - can be read here and includes a key principle that in the long term the new scheme ‘can include zero increases in employee contributions for all or the vast majority of members provided overall financial constraints are met’
http://www.local.gov.uk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=920cb423-6b3a-4a9a-ad2e-664c6ddaf3f2&groupId=10161

NHS Pension Scheme: final proposals published

2011-12-21T08:02:00.003Z

Details of the Government’s final offer to NHS unions has been published with confirmation that 70% of UNISON members will not pay increased contributions in 2012/13 (thus avoiding the 1.5% increase due to be implemented next April under previously agreed ’cap and share’ arrangements’).
Key points of the offer are set out below: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7505

· Accrued rights are protected.

· Full protection for those within 10 years of the normal retirement age of their current existing pension scheme, including those with special class status. They will continue to be able to retire at 55, 60 or 65 depending on what scheme they are in. An additional 3.5 years tapered protection.

· The new proposed scheme would come into effect in 2015 and would be a career average scheme with an accrual rate of 1/54 uprated by CPI plus 1.5%, this represents a significant improvement from the outset of the negotiations.

· The government is still proposing contribution increases. In 2012 members will pay between 0 and 2.4% extra. Those with a pensionable salary of less than £26,557 will not pay any extra. This will apply to 48% of the NHS workforce and probably around 70% of UNISON members. There will be further discussions on contributions in years 2 and 3.

· Normal Pension Age (NPA) will remain equal to State Pension Age (SPA). We could not shift the Government on this issue. Unions have proposed a number of alternatives but as yet this remains in the Heads of Agreement.

· Fair Deal will apply in health and anyone being TUPE transferred will be able to keep their NHS pension. They are proposing to review extending access to the NHS scheme for staff working in Any Qualified Provider organisations (AQPs).

· A tripartite review of the impact of the proposed increase in pension ages on certain categories of staff including those in emergency services.

LGPS – ‘Deficit Tax’ Increased Contributions Averted

2011-12-20T08:43:00.000Z

In October the DCLG commenced a formal consultation on increased employee contributions for LGPS scheme members in England and Wales - proposing increased contributions for all scheme members in posts with FTE salaries over £15,000 - rising from 1.5% for those earning under £21,000 to a maximum of 6% for ‘high earners’. Negotiations on the LGPS have successfully averted the DCLG’s proposed increases – which were due to be phased in between April 2012 and April 2014. http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/pensionconsultation

Yesterday, UNISON published a briefing on the framework agreement for future negotiations on LGPS reforms. The agreement with the Local Government employers is expected to be reported to Parliament today, including confirmation that the formal consultation on contribution increases will be scrapped and the LGPS status quo will be maintained until April 2014.

A major achievement for the local government unions, which will now be the subject of consultation through UNISON’s democratic lay structures involving five service group executive's which will meet on 10 January 2012:
http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/LGPS_PoP_Campaign8.pdf

Ultra left sows disunity as pensions negotiations enter critical phase

2011-12-18T12:37:00.000Z

It is a sad reflection on the lack of integrity of certain unions present at Thursday's TUC Public Services Liaison Group (PSLG) meeting on public sector pensions, that lies and misrepresentations emanating from their ranks have been allowed to go unchallenged. Two basic facts about the PSLG meeting need to be stated:

1 No union proposed that a date for further strike action be agreed

2 No trade union leader present argued for acceptance of current proposals. How could they when scheme specific negotiations are ongoing and in some cases close to conclusion? For that reason it was agreed to reconvene the PSLG meeting on Monday.

Yet lies have been spread by ultra left front organisations raising long rehearsed cries of 'betrayal' and ‘sell out’ - targeting individuals including our own General Secretary. Union democracy is being brought into disrepute as a faction of a civil service union seeks to interfere in the negotiations of health and local government unions including UNISON: http://pcseuston.org.uk/pcs-left-unity-pensions-organising-conference-london-7th-jan-2012/

It seems that some activists in civil service unions have short memories. Ready to pick up their own agreement in 2005/6 and leave local government workers isolated, they now seem hell bent on stopping a possible breakthrough in LGPS negotiations which GMB, UNISON and Unite negotiators are commending as an important step forward. In due course, workers in each public sector scheme will approve or reject negotiated outcomes on a union by union basis. That’s the way union democracy works whether the Socialist Workers Party or Socialist Party (and their front organisations such as NSSN) like it or not.

The pension rights of millions of public sector workers are at stake and no responsible trade unionist or trade union leader should allow the lies and misrepresentations of the ultra left to go unchallenged.

Possible breakthrough in LGPS negotiations

2011-12-17T07:59:00.000Z

A joint local government union statement issued yesterday reports that a “very positive framework" has been agreed with employer representatives which would enable full negotiations on a reformed local government pension scheme (LGPS) to start in January: http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/C7500.pdf

Details of the framework will be released early next week (if/when Government ministers endorse the agreement) but it is reasonable to infer from the joint union statement that significant concessions have been secured from the employers – a testimony to the overwhelming success of the #N30 strike mobilisation in local authorities and the sheer force of the union’s case about the calamitous consequences for the LGPS of increased employee contributions.

Already infantile ultra leftists - mainly from outside of the local government workforce - are raising calls of 'sell out', without any detailed knowledge of the draft agreement. That our national union negotiators are hailing the developments as "very positive" is good news for local government workers and other UNISON members within the scope of the LGPS.

UNISONActive will provide an analysis of the framework agreement as soon as it is available.

UNISON NEC takes stock of #N30 & next steps in pensions campaign

2011-12-08T16:56:00.000Z

UNISON's NEC meeting in London today held an extensive review of last week's #N30 national industrial action. As on 26 March with the national demonstration against austerity, the union had demonstrated its unrivalled organising power by delivering solid industrial action in tens of thousands of workplaces and mobilising vast numbers of members in nationwide demonstrations. An official report on the meeting is available here: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7483

President Eleanor Smith opened the meeting with an amusing anecdote about the strike. She had received a letter from America sent by someone who had read an American newspaper quoting her on the day of action. “Wake up Eleanor” he said “Your Country is underwater. Union representation is at an all time low. What you bring to the table, as a union, is squat Zero. Nothing. You bring long term contracts, guaranteed payments, no ability to fire people and thus you are part of the problem not part of the solution. “Wake up Eleanor”…. 'If that’s being part of the problem colleagues, long may that be the case' said Eleanor!

Dave Prentis and Jane Carolan, chair of service group liaison committee, gave detailed reports on the day of action, the ongoing talks and feedback on the collective views of service group chairs who had met together the previous day. Over 20 NEC members contributed to the debate which was generally united apart from one tactical difference with a minority of speakers pressing for a further day of action to be called in January.

'Trade Union Reform Campaign' - a Tory front sponsored by 10 Downing St

2011-12-05T19:44:00.000Z

On 30 November, the day of the Great Pensions Strike, Tory leader David Cameron said in a letter of support to a shadowy front group that ‘using taxpayers money to fund trade union activity cannot be sustained, either morally or economically.’ Cameron provided no evidence to support his assertion but then the ideologues in the gallery he was pandering to don’t need much convincing. The Zelo Street blog has brilliantly exposed the forces from the Conservative Party’s right wing who are staffing the latest anti union organisation: http://zelo-street.blogspot.com/2011/12/welcome-to-more-astroturf.html

After #N30 - what next for the pensions campaign?

2011-12-03T09:10:00.002Z

An interesting scenario analysis on the pensions dispute from Gregor Gall, writing on the Union News website. The extent to which the TUC public sector unions, FBU excepted, maintain Wednesday's unprecedented unity in action will depend on developments in scheme specific negotiations. Gall looks at the tactical options of smart strikes, mass strikes or intensification of action, but is seemingly oblivious to the emerging tactic of large scale work to rule disruption being advocated by PCS, teaching unions and by UNISON (now preparing a national ballot for action short of strike in the ambulance service):
http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/after-n30-smart-strikes-mass-strikes-leadership-determination-grassroots-confidence/

Solidarity across the pond on #N30‏

2011-12-02T09:08:00.000Z

US trade unions staged protests outside the British Embassy in Washington and in Consulates in all major cities including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Orlando and Las Vegas.Mary Kay Henry, the President of UNISON's sister union SEIU, wrote to Dave Prentis saying: 'Whether in the UK or the US; it is time to confront those politicians, CEOs and corporate backed right-wing movements who seek to destroy the public sector. It is time for ordinary people to retake control of their lives. It is time to act with the courage of our convictions and the strength of our numbers’ Photos can be seen here http://www.flickr.com/photos/seiu and a report can be read at http://strongerunions.org/2011/12/01/us-nurses-backed-our-pension-protests/

UNISON and the Great Pension Strike 30 November 2011

2011-12-02T08:55:00.000Z

UNISON's members did us proud in the strike action to defend our pensions on 30 November 2011. www.unison.org.uk

#N30 – Turning the tide of a generation?

2011-12-01T08:23:00.000Z

Seumas Milne writes in today’s Guardian about yesterday’s national industrial action across all public services. Despite hostile rhetoric from Tory leaders ‘up to two million public employees, from teachers and nurses to dinner ladies, ignored them and staged Britain's biggest strike for more than 30 years.... a powerful demonstration of democratic workplace strength – which offers a chance to begin to turn the tide of a generation’ http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/30/strike-turns-tide-of-generation

Bick: You have a legal right and moral duty to stand up to bullies

2011-11-30T15:26:00.000Z

Upwards of 10,000 public service workers were treated to a barnstorming performance by Rodney Bickerstaffe today outside the Scottish Parliament. #unisonscotn #N30. Reaching out to the young people on the rally, he was cheered as he urged them, “You wonderful young people, you have a legal right and a moral duty to stand up to bullies and diktat or they will walk all over you”. see full story at http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/2011/11/bick-you-have-legal-right-and-moral.html

Nothing more beautiful than organised labour #N30

2011-11-30T08:03:00.002Z

So once said a wise colleague when just 20 of us were on strike. Try millions! keep up to date with strike day reports at
www.unison.org.uk/
n30/ Solidarity from UNISONActive.

Pic: UNISON President and Birmingham Women’s Hospital nurse Eleanor Smith begins striking at midnight earlier today

UNISON membership surges as whole public services workforce gears up for #N30 strike

2011-11-29T08:47:00.000Z

Yesterday Dave Prentis told a packed eve-of-strike press conference that there has been an unprecedented 126% increase in recruitment to UNISON over the corresponding time last year – with 81% of those new members being women. On one day last week, more than 1,200 new members joined through the union's website: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7407

Miliband: I don't support strikes‏: But UnionNews‏ reports Labour politicians give backing to strikers

2011-11-29T08:45:00.000Z

Hopefully the New Statesman is mis-reporting Ed Miliband's views on the #N30 strike in defence of public service pensions. Over the next 48 hours we shall see? http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/11/labour-strike-miliband. But elsewhere in UnionNews, Labour politicians are reported as backing the strikers http://union-news.co.uk/2011/11/labour-politicians-give-backing-to-public-sector-strikers/

Spot the bible bashing, union bashing Con Dem Minister on picket duty?

2011-11-28T17:55:00.000Z

MP Michael Gove in case you don't recognise the wee soul. Click photo for more.

Windfall for local charities as Newcastle City Council refuses to cash in on #N30 strike action‏

2011-11-28T12:11:00.000Z

Newcastle Council has pledged to hand over the wages it saves as a result of Wednesday’s national pensions strike - potentially up to £100,000 - to good causes.

A gesture warmly welcomed by Jo Curry, chief executive of North East charity group VONNE, who led the calls for other councils to offset the damage they have had to cause as a result of government cuts “the speed and scale of public sector spending cuts are having a devastating impact on the lives of vulnerable people in communities and it is clear that the trade union movement is taking a stand on behalf of all those affected”
http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2011/11/27/north-council-pledges-strikers-pay-to-charity-79310-29848975/#.TtJr1Au1pI4.email