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Vote Yes for strike action

Fair play. Fair pay
Local government pay campaign 2007
UNISON is urging members to vote for strike action in support of our pay claim in local government.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: "The local government employers have made it very clear that their offer is final. It will not be increased without solid and sustained strike action so we need a very clear 'yes' vote in the ballot to show that we mean business."

UNISON has asked for a 5% or £1,000 increase on behalf of its 800,000 members covered by the National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions. The employers have offered 2.475% and 3.4% for the lowest paid which is below inflation for everyone - which is why UNISON is urging members to reject the offer.

The message from Dave Prentis is clear: "Wherever you work, whatever your job - make sure you vote and vote yes for strike action to try and get an improved offer. Together UNISON's 800,000 members can win."


Pensions Update

- UNISON Members in the Local Government Pension Scheme have voted to accept the new pension scheme. 97.1% of members voted YES.

The ballot has followed years of intense negotiations, lobbying and industrial action to protect and improve our members' pension rights, when the Government were trying to introduce a worse scheme without consultation.

UNISON have achieved the following:

  • Retention of a final salary scheme
  • Possibility of 10 added years
  • Improved accrual rate
  • No maximum for pensionable years of service
  • Improved early retirement factors
  • Members' right to choose to exchange up to 25% of their pension for a lump sum
  • Introducing partner's pensions for all spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners
  • Members' right to buy up to £5,000 per year extra pension
  • Better death in service benefits
  • Lower underlying contribution rate than either the civil service or NHS schemes
  • Better death in retirement benefits
  • No 'two tier' system - will apply to all members from 1st April 2008
  • Further consultation on extending full protection of the 85-year rule.
To find out more go to www.unison.org.uk/pensions
2007-09-11  

Update on Pay Offer - After much pushing from UNISON and the other unions, the employers have now made a slightly improved pay offer of 2.475% and a new minimum rate for the low paid of £6.00 per hour. However, this is still well below inflation (currently 3.6%) so it still amounts to a pay cut in real terms. UNISON will therefore now ask members whether they want to accept this offer or whether they are willing to strike in order to get an improved offer. Any offer would be backdated to April 2007.

Member Successes - The branch has had a number of successful outcomes over the past six months, resulting in members receiving significant compensation for being subjected to racial abuse in the workplace. We also recently won a substantial pay-out for unfair selection for redundancy. UNISON relentlessly pursued these and other cases where our members had been unfairly treated until a satisfactory outcome was achieved. Without the protection and support of Unison these cases may not have had such a successful outcome.

Single Status - UNISON has been in complicated, in-depth negotiation with management on Single Status for 18 months. Progress has been made in many areas but there are still issues to be addressed, particularly management's wish to reduce the overtime rate for Sunday working and to increase the working week to 36 hours for all. Back Pay for low paid women workers who have been paid unequally is also still to be agreed. Currently, management appear to have pulled out of negotiations. UNISON will be deciding on our next move in the coming weeks. It may be necessary to consider litigation through the courts.

Agency Staff Have Rights - Are you an Agency worker? Did you know that a number of recent court cases have established that agency staff may have employment rights in certain situations? This could include holiday and redundancy pay and the right to be treated as a permanent member of staff. This makes it well worth your while joing UNISON. To join, call the office on 8545 4000 and they will send you a special form. 

Become a UNISON Steward - Do you think you could stand up for your work colleagues?  Ever wondered what it would be like to be a shop steward?   Call the UNISON office on 020 8545 4000 for an informal chat about becomming a steward.  You are entitled to training and will get support from the branch committee.  We currently need stewards in all areas.

 

UNISON Newsletter

Issue 2 - Summer 2005

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