Health union rejects UK's pension plan

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Argentina News.Net
Friday 6th January, 2012

LONDON - Britain's largest health union Unite has declined to accept plans to make its members in the health service pay more and work longer before receiving their pensions, even as strike possibilities loom.

Unite's health sector national industrial committee (HSNIC) will now meet on the 11 January to consider its future strategies.

"Our NHS executives unanimously rejects the government's pernicious attempts to make hard working and dedicated NHS staff pay more, work longer and get less when they retire," said Len McCluskey, Unite's General Secretary.

"The government's attacks on public sector pensions are politically motivated, as part of an overall design to privatise the NHS, cut public services, break-up the national pay agreements, and disrupt legitimate trade union activities and organizations," McCluskey said.

The Unite's rejection of the pension plan comes even as the British Medical Association (BMA) council has sought its members' opinion on the potential for strike action over pension reforms.

The survey will be distributed to around 130,000 BMA members. If a majority supports the strike plan, the first doctor walkout for almost 40 years could follow, it is claimed.

"We want doctors and medical students to be fully aware of what's coming their way, and to have their say on what happens. Everyone will be affected, and it's up to the whole medical profession to influence what we do next," said Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of the BMA Council.

The pension offer currently on the table will see NHS staff less than ten years from retirement not having to face any change to their pension, and those earning less than 26,000 pounds protected from an increase in contributions next year.

The BMA has publicly rejected the deal.

However, Unite's decision will raise the prospect of other unions also rejecting the reform package.

Ministers claimed before Christmas that most unions had accepted a deal on pension reform that would prevent a repeat of November's nationwide strike by public sector staff.

Like Unite, the biggest teaching unions also reserved their positions and are yet to confirm if they will accept the pension deal.

Next week, Unison, the biggest public sector union, will decide whether to continue its talks with ministers over implementing the pension changes.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which represents civil servants, has already rejected the deal. Its executive will meet this month to discuss the union's next move. Its leader, Mark Serwotka, said last week that more strikes "may be necessary".

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The decision by Unite and its members is disappointing. The proposed new NHS Pension Scheme is a good deal it is fair to the NHS workforce, it is fair to the taxpayer and makes public service pensions affordable and sustainable."

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Source: http://www.argentinanews.net/story/202430267

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