Why I am taking strike action - Stephen Smellie

When I started working for Council in 1984 I joined the Superannuation Scheme – the Pension. I had no choice. In those days it was compulsory. You could opt out if you chose but I didn’t. I recognised that a reasonable pension when you retire was important.

So I entered into a contract with my employer and the Government that I would pay 6% of my salary to my pension and my employer would make a contribution also. This was, in a way, me deferring my wages till a later day, when I retired. The plan was I would work till I was 65 and I wouldn’t have to claim and rely on state benefits to keep me out of poverty.

I am striking because the Government has decided to renege on that contract. They are insisting that I work longer and that I should get a poorer pension when I retire. They are not willing to negotiate on these issues – only on how much poorer a pension it would be.

They also want me to increase by 50% what I pay every month towards it. Fortunately for me, being a Council worker, the Scottish Government were persuaded not to pass that on to me but I suspect the Tories and Liberals will come back with that plan if they get away with forcing it onto everyone else in the public sector!

I don’t want to strike but when faced with a Government that won’t negotiate and is now trying to bully us, by threatening to remove even some of the concessions they have made and to change the law to make it even more difficult for union members to take strike action, I don’t think I have any other choice.

The biggest strike since 1926 -
three million people can't be wrong 

What a St Andrew's Day! What camaraderie and solidarity. Today was a great success for the South Lanarkshire Branch UNISON, the unions across the Council, and indeed the unions across the entire public sector.

Millions on strike, millions of public sector workers withdrawing their labour, not to be taken lightly, all with a resounding message for this Government that we will not stand by and watch them steal our pensions. David Cameron reckons it was a damp squib - what planet is he on? It's not the first time we've asked this question.

UNISON and GMB pickets arrived early and braved the freezing cold throughout South Lanarkshire. At the Council HQ, Seniors Together showed their support along with former East Kilbride provost and retired teacher Helen Biggins who has got her pension, but is still prepared to fight for the rights of others.

It was great to see the PCS stewards too. Councillor Alan Scott, also a UNISON member and activist, came along to show his support for the pensions campaign. Councillor McAvoy, leader of the council, had already given a message of support from the Labour Group members, who had cancelled the schedule of meetings for the strike day.

Thousands marched in towns and cities across the UK. South Lanarkshire strikers and their families marched through Glasgow, to the rally at the Barrowlands Ballroom.

Well done to members for the strike action today, and thanks to those of you who we exempted from strike action to make sure that life and limb cover was maintained.

 

Find out more about the pensions campaign here...

Get the latest Scottish UNISON pension bulletin here..

Find out more about the Scottish action on November 30th here...

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