Unite rejects NHS pensions deal

5 January 2012 4:24 pm | By Tom Selby

Trade union Unite has unanimously rejected the Government’s latest proposals for reform of the NHS pension scheme.

The key features of the agreement for NHS workers included moving to a career average scheme, bringing retirement ages into line with the state pension age, introducing an accrual rate of 1/54th of earnings, and revaluing pre-retirement benefits by CPI plus 1.5 per cent for active members and CPI for deferred members.

NHS staff must also pay higher contributions into their pension.

Unite says its primary concerns are the proposed increase in pension contributions, the linking of the retirement age to the state pension age and the accrual rates offered to NHS staff.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: ”Our NHS executive 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.

“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 organisation.

“Unite believes it is important to continue a campaign to maintain a fair and equitable system of public sector pensions and calls on ministers to enter into real, genuine and meaningful negotiations on the future of NHS pensions and public sector pensions.”

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Readers' comments (22)

  • Paul Howard | 5 Jan 2012 4:30 pm

    In other words Unite wants to continue the unfair treatment....of every tax payer, for the benefit of their members?

    If they want real fairness - close EVERY final salary pension schemes (both Public and Private) and reset them up on a money purchase basis...

    ..

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  • Anonymous | 5 Jan 2012 4:34 pm

    When are the so called hard working Public Sector get in the real world and start paying for things that private sector workers have had to contribute to for years. Let them go on strike but I certainly will not be giving them any support. Spoilt brats if you ask me!!!

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  • Fully informed | 5 Jan 2012 4:34 pm

    Let's go for record numbers of comments on the laziness, selfishness, parasitic nature of public sector workers please.... all welcome.

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  • Markco | 5 Jan 2012 4:47 pm

    ”Our NHS executive 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."

    Really?? How angry would they be if they were being asked to pay more, work longer, get less when they retire AND pay more to supplement the pensions of (greedy) others who have the tenacity to use words like "fair and equitable".

    Time to grow up, folks.

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  • Anonymous | 5 Jan 2012 4:49 pm

    I have more sympathy for the nurses than I do for the tube drivers

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  • Old Dog | 5 Jan 2012 4:49 pm

    I used to think that Bob Crowe was the devil incarnate. I now have a sneaking admiration for him.

    Maybe Len McCluskey should be on the TSC rather than Mr Tyrie. I have a sneaking suspicion Mr Mc L wouldn't have rolled over to sants, or couched correspondence in such cosy terms to someone who thumbed his nose at parliament.

    As regards the the fairness or otherwise of having one's pension contract sliced and diced by the government because of the criminally negligent behaviour of so many bankers, I have a grudging respect for Mc L as he is not a rollover merchant.

    How's about inviting him to oust La Goddard at the PFS. Might get something positve done for IFAs rather than saddling them with a crushing exam burden.

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  • Peter Kelsey | 5 Jan 2012 4:49 pm

    Unite are totally ignoring the economic reality of where we are, combined with the fact that that life expectancies arer now far greater than when these schemes were designed.
    Unfortunately for them, when the tide comes in, it comes in on every beach and the taxpayer can no longer afford the cost of public sector pensions, even the revised Government offers are unsustainable.

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  • Stevo | 5 Jan 2012 4:55 pm

    Calling all public sector workers lazy, selfish and parasitic does nobody any credit and certainly will not help to inform any debate. However what is incontrovertible(supported by facts) is that public sector workers do enjoy shorter working weeks, better pay, better holiday entitlement, better working conditions, have more time off sick and enjoy better pensions than their private sector counterparts.
    Whether the methodology of the Government negotiaters is acceptable maybe open to debate but for the public sector unions attempting to take the moral high ground in this debate is shameful

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  • Peter | 5 Jan 2012 4:56 pm

    "Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: ”Our NHS executive 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."

    Oh really - so all of the rest of us poor old tax paying public can contiue to cough up for the level of pensions that their members will have (even under HMG's revised proposals) that the rest of us poor suds can only dream of. Fantastic.

    They should be treated in exactly the same way as most members of private final salary scheme members already have - ie moost are now ex-members, the schemes simply having been closed. But will our politicians have the backbone to stand up to them......now there's a question.

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  • Anonymous | 5 Jan 2012 5:00 pm

    Same old crap from the unions I see.

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