Fair Pensions for ALL: The Facts

Fair Pensions for All is a pamphlet produced jointly with Unite, PCS, UCU and the National Pensioners Convention. This document dispels the myths about public sector pensions, exposes the scandal of pension provision in the private sector and sets out the compelling case for fair pensions for all.

• The UK currently has the fourth lowest state pension in the EU- only Estonia, Latvia and Cyprus pay less to keep pensioners in security and dignity in old age. The basic state pension is currently £102 a week, worth only 57% of the government’s official weekly pensioner poverty level of £178


• More than two million UK pensioers officially live below the poverty line, with a further million in fuel poverty.


• Just over a decade ago nearly half of all private sector workers were in a workplace pension scheme; today it is only a third.


• However, while pensions have been ripped away from ordinary workers, the directors of large companies continue to net very generous pensions averaging £175,000 per year in retirement. These generous fat cat schemes at the top lapped up the bulk of the £37.6bn in tax relief that private sector pensions get every year.


• The Hutton report “firmly rejected the claim that current public service pensions are ‘gold plated’ …the median payment is around £5,600”. This equates to just over £100 per week in retirement. For a woman worker in local government the average pension is just £2,600.

Download the full facts, in the leaflet HERE

N30: Eastbourne Rally for Pensions

EASTBOURNE SAYS: HANDS OFF OUR PENSIONS !
Decent pensions for ALL

A rally to support the public sector pensions strike, and to call for action for dignity and security in retirement for all – in both the public and the private sector.

Wednesday 30th November.
The Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne Seafront

Assemble at 10.30am by Eastbourne Bandstand; rally at the Unite Centre at 11.00am

Speakers to include: DAVE BRINSON (NUT National Executive), DAVE FELLOWS (UNison Schools Convenor) and speakers from the striking Unions.

N30: March for Pensions in Brighton

BRIGHTON MARCH AND RALLY TO SAVE OUR PENSIONS

On June 30th, when members of NUT, ATL, UCU and PCS took strike action over pensions, thousands of people took to the streets in Brighton. On 30th November, up to 20 Unions will be taking action across the country, so the turnout will dwarf June’s event.

Eastbourne Trade Unionists who can travel are encouraged to support the March and Rally in Brighton, alongside striking colleagues from across the region.

Wednesday November 30th
Assemble: Victoria Gardens, Brighton at 11.45 for a march through the city centre and then a rally at The Level.

Guest speakers to include Caroline Lucas MP (Green) and Tony Burke- Deputy General Secretary of Unite the Union, plus others from the striking unions.

NHS "Reforms": Minister's great cover up !

What's he trying to hide? For a year health minister Andrew Lansley has been refusing to publish a civil service report on the risks he's taking with the NHS. Now the Information Commissioner has ordered him to publish it. But he could still keep it hidden for another month – until after more key votes have taken place. (The Information Commissioner has ordered Lansley to release the report within 35 calendar days. But Lansley could even appeal to drag things out even longer)

We can't afford to wait that long. The House of Lords is debating the NHS plans right now. If the report on risks to the NHS is released immediately, it could persuade key members of the House of Lords to stand up to the government.

Let's raise an uproar in Parliament and force Lansley's hand. Pressure group 38 Degrees is co-ordinating a massive national campaign on this issue. Email your MP now and tell them to demand this secret NHS report is made public immediately.

Pressure from MPs could force Lansley to publish this report. If enough of us contact them now, we can get it out in the open before it's too late. MPs won't want to find themselves back under fire because of Lansley’s cover-up. So let's all email our MPs now and tell them they have to force Lansley to publish his secret NHS risks report.

The Information Commissioner's ruling lists Andrew Lansley's arguments for why he wants this report kept secret. Lansley argued that releasing the report "would have jeopardised the success of the policy"! [3] He's kept us, MPs, and members of the Lords in the dark deliberately because he's worried that making these risks public could derail his plans.

Please take two minutes to ask your MP to demand the NHS risks report is made public immediately

The NHS belongs to all of us. We all pay for it, and we all rely on it to care for us and our loved ones. We don't want it put at risk - that's exactly why we've been campaigning together all these months. We have a right to see what this report says.

Let's work together to get our MPs to force Lansley to publish the secret NHS risk report !

Trades Council Meeting: November

There will be a meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council at 7.30pm, Tuesday 29th November, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (formerly T&G) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade unionists are invited, (although only delegates from affiliated unions may vote on financial and policy matters.)

Liz Walke will be joining us from the Save the DGH campaign, and will update us on the latest threats to local hospital services, and how trade unionists and their local branches can support the campaign.

It is likely that trade unionists in the public sector will be taking strike action the following day- and there will be an opportunity to share information and discuss the events taking place in the local area.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of new affiliations.
3. Minutes of previous meeting
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes.
5. Guest Speaker Liz Walke from Save the DGH Campaign.
6. TUC Day of Action (tomorrow)
7. Treasurer's Report
8. Len Caine Award
9. Any other Union Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.
10. Any other business.

As always, the bar will be open after the meeting ! Apologies or requests for documents etc. to the Secretary at secretary@east-sussex.nut.org.uk

Defend Eastbourne DGH

Trade Unionists in Eastbourne are strongly urged to support the Save the DGH Campaign, to preserve services at our local hospital.

The Save the DGH Campaign reports that "on Setember 24th, a protest against the current proposals to remove emergency heart intervention treatment and possible threat AGAIN to downgrade our Maternity unit this morning saw over 200 people join us at 7.30am. An open letter (view here) was handed over to Darren Grayson Chief Executive of ESHT (the Trust that run Eastbourne DGH) and Stuart Welling who is the Chair of ESHT."

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council on Tuesday 29th November will be discussing how local trade unionists and their branches can publicise and get involved with the campaign, and we hope to have a spokesperson from the campaign joining us that evening. Agenda to follow.

Eastbourne Unites to Defend Pensions

Trade unions across the public sector are preparing to take action to defend pensions against an onslaught from the Government that would leave millions of public servants working longer, paying more and getting less in retirement.

The Government has made what it claims to be concessions, and the unions are carefully considering the implications of these- however the Government still refuses to carry out a valuation of the pension funds to tell us how much money is in the schemes. (The agreed changes to the pension schemes in 2005-6 were made based on the valuation, and were sustainable and affordable. What has changed in the intervening years ?)

If you buy a financial product (such as a pension) from your bank, you would expect to be told how much money is in it, how it is performing, and what fees are being taken. We expect no less from the Government !

And this is NOT a public vs private sector dispute. Trade Unionists in the private sector have seen dreadful attacks on their pensions, with employers failing to make appropriate employer-side contributions, or taking complete breaks from their obligations when the schemes were healthy (so calles "pension holidays") The Government must take urgent action to ensure that all workers have access to a decent pension scheme to provide dignity and security in old age.

In Eastbourne, members of the NUT, the ATL, and UCU education unions, and PCS civil servants took well supported action in June. It looks increasingly likely that they will be joined by Unison members across the public sector, who have voted to approve action, plus results are awaited from the NASUWT teachers' union, the National Association of Head Teachers, and general unions GMB and Unite. Senior civil servants in the FDA and specialists in Prospect are also balloting.

Officers of the local unions will be meeting this week to discuss what action can be taken to publicise and support the campaign, including on the 30th November if we are forced to take strike action. Watch this site for updates.