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Why I will be
striking on Wednesday-Stephen Smellie 27/11/2011 Union members urged to vote to strike against great pension robbery 07/10/11 Why I will be striking on Wednesday - 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 on Wednesday 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. I will be on the picket line and I hope thousands of others will join me. Union members urged to vote to strike against great pension robbery 07/10/11 UNISON members working for local Councils, the NHS, South Lanarkshire College, the University of the West of Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and many other public services are being urged to vote for strike action. Members will be receiving ballot papers this week in the biggest strike action ballot in UK history with 1.1 million people involved. Stephen Smellie, Branch Secretary of UNISON South Lanarkshire said, "The UK Government have insisted that all public service workers will need to work longer before they can get their occupational pension and that the pension schemes will be changed so that we get poorer pensions. This is on top of the change made earlier this year to reduce the annual inflation linked increase in pensions is a calculated attack on our pensions." Mary Samson, UNISON Lanarkshire NHS Secretary pointed out that for NHS workers there is another immediate issue. She said, "NHS workers have been told that in addition to the changes the government are insisting on they also want us to pay 50% more in contributions. This is a straight forward tax on NHS staff to help pay the Government's deficit. Not a penny of this additional money they want us to pay will go towards our pensions. Instead it goes to the Government who continue to bail out bankers to ensure they get their bonuses while we get pay freezes and job losses." All UNISON's 17,000 members in Lanarkshire are being balloted for strike action. If members vote Yes the first day of strike action will be on 30th November. Lanarkshire NHS member and UNISON's Scottish Convenor, Lilian Macer said, "We have sought to resolve this through negotiations with both the UK and the Scottish Government. The UK Government are intent on robbing millions off loyal nurses, home carers and classroom assistants whilst the Scottish Government say they have no choice but to pass on the attacks. Strike action is a last resort but UNISON is determined to protect our members' pensions and I am sure our members will support the strike call and vote YES."
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