28 January 2005
Local government employers have slammed trade union plans to take strike action over pension scheme changes as 'unjustified, precipitate and ultimately futile'.
The Employers Organisation for Local Government (EO) was responding to Unison claims that a nationwide walkout from town halls was likely after it successfully balloted workers over a strike.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has proposed raising the age of retirement for the Local Government Pension Scheme to 65, in line with most private sector retirement plans. Ministers have also proposed money-saving adjustments to council final salary pensions to control spiralling costs.
Unison opposes the changes and its strike committee is now likely to back a one-day protest, possibly in March.
It could be joined on picket lines by other public sector unions unhappy with similar proposals affecting their members.
Rob Pinkham, the EO's executive director, claimed: 'Unison has been deliberately exaggerating the impact of the proposals while keeping the facts well away from their members.
'The plain truth is that people are living longer. It means the cost of pensions is rising and we have a limited range of choices to control that cost. Nothing Unison does will alter that.'
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: 'We are not opposed to reforms of the existing pension scheme, but only as part of an overall package that will benefit staff as well as employers.
'This is not a fight we can afford to give up when the average pension for local government workers is just £3,800 [annually].'
PFjan2005
