Hat tip UNISON, Pension Age and BBCAmazing and massive payout. Well done to everyone involved. I understand that the £385 million settlement is not just for the Norfolk Fund but not sure what they will get?I have 30 years of pensionable service in the …Read more…
The 6 million Brits who are members of the Local Government Pensions scheme should read this…
Hat tip to Chair of Barnet LGPS committee Simon Radford and the Fabian Society. A little Dry – Local government pension fund reform may not be exciting, but the consequences of failure could be significant, argues Simon RadfordIn the mid-1980s, T…Read more…
Lobby of Tower Hamlets Pension Committee over Clarion & Riverside breaking promises
This evening I went to make a submission to Tower Hamlets Council Pension Committee with a UNISON colleague, Julie. Both of us use to work for Tower Hamlets Council as housing officers. Julie worked in the Isle of Dogs and worked in Bow. In 2005 …Read more…
St Andrews Golf Course must withdraw ‘fire and rehire’ pensions threat to workers, says UNISON
Clarion UNISON have sent solidarity messages to these members and will be in touch regarding our own pension “Fire & Rehire” vile threats. Hat tip CLarion UNISON Facebook page.”Scotland’s largest union is demanding that St Andrews Links…Read more…
“Clarion Housing Group must raise pay and stop pension cuts to avoid strike action, says UNISON”
Yep. My “social mission” employer is cutting my pay by up to 8% and also planning to sack me after 30 years of service (and other UNISON members) in November, in order for them to break the pensions promises they made to staff (and local authorities). Watch this space.
UNISON Press release – more to follow. Please pass on. https://www.facebook.com/clarionunison
Staff working at Clarion Housing Group, including caretakers and sheltered housing wardens, have rejected a 5% pay offer, and their union UNISON, has urged the employer to think again.
UNISON says the current offer is essentially a pay cut, as it falls well short of inflation and that staff deserve more.
Clarion has also announced plans to cut the pensions of nearly 300 staff. The housing association has said it intends to close the defined benefit scheme, which means employees will be significantly worse off, adds the union.
Clarion is planning to close the pension scheme by using ‘fire and rehire’ tactics, says UNISON. The housing association is threatening to sack staff and re-employ them on new contracts and an inferior pension scheme. Staff have been told that anyone who refuses to accept the new contracts will lose their jobs, says UNISON.
UNISON London convenor and tenancy specialist at Clarion John Gray said: “Clarion has offered little or no justification for wrecking the pension futures of so many of their long-serving staff.
“Employees were promised their pensions were safe if they transferred into Clarion from the local authorities where they were originally employed. Housing association managers have now gone back on their word. This is completely unacceptable behaviour, and the employer must think again.”
UNISON London regional organiser Ezequiel Kramer said: “The fact that Clarion, the largest housing association in the country, is using this extreme practice to impose detrimental changes on staff pensions is disgraceful.
“This will affect staff moral and it shows the type of employer Clarion really is.”
Notes to editors:
– Staff are currently on a final salary pension scheme. With a defined benefit (DB) pension scheme, the amount paid out is based on how many years someone has been a member of a scheme and the salary they earned at the time they left that employer or retired.
– A consultative ballot conducted by UNISON over this year’s pay offer saw 92% of staff who voted reject the 5% offer, with 87% supporting strike action and 91% action short of strike action.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023- Day three
Today (Thursday) I still have “conference lurgy” so skipped the morning run again. Another glorious blue sky day. Nice to have a name check in the Morning Star from yesterday’s debate “the NEC shouldn’t go off and be a lone ranger” and picture of my Co…Read more…
UNISON writes to civil service boss for clarity over pay offer
General secretary expresses disappointment that the union was not told of a proposed one-off, unconsolidated payment and calls for a pay meeting
The article UNISON writes to civil service boss for clarity over pay offer first appeared on the UNISON National site.
Local authority pension fund investment in affordable housing
This meeting of the APPG for “Local Authority Pension Funds was focused on local authority pension fund investment in social and affordable housing. To address the issue and whether there is a case for doing more, the event heard from four speakers: Cl…Read more…
11th Anniversary of UNISON National Pension Strike 2011
Facebook reminded me this morning that it is the 11th anniversary of the 2011 successful strike action to protect public sector pensions (Facebook immediately lost any thanks for this memory for refusing to allow me to share, since they thought my post…Read more…
Labour standards in the rubber glove industry
Last week I chaired a virtual webinar organised by PIRC and UNISON on Labour standards in the rubber glove manufacturing industry. There were 6 panel members located in Europe and Asia and an invited audience of some 50 industry representatives, …Read more…
Speaking about decent pensions at Brent Local Government AGM 2022
Today I had been invited by Brent UNISON to speak at their AGM on the importance of decent pensions. Well done to the branch for not only having the leader of Brent, Cllr Muhammed Butt speak and take Q&As but also its deputy leader, Cllr Marg…Read more…
Boris “eyes up” council pensioner money to invest in his “vanity” infrastructure projects?
Many of us are worried about the recent Government announcement on “levelling up”, not least because it included a legislative commitment on Council pension funds to “publish plans for increasing local investment, including setting an ambition of up to…Read more…
LAPFF at Thirty
I am currently in Bournemouth for the 30th annual conference of the Local Authority Pension Fund. I am one of its Vice Chair’s. This 6 minute video was produced to celebrate the history of LAPFF and a reminder of the good work it has done over the years/Read more…
The new normal? Tower Hamlets “blended” Pension Board meeting 7/6/21
This morning I cycled to Tower Hamlets Council’s Town Hall to take part in a “blended” physical and virtual meeting of its Pension Board.
I am a trade union appointed member of the board which “assists” the Council in the running of its billion …Read more…
Stop Press: “Government exit payment rethink will bring relief to millions of public sector workers”
This is great news for Council staff facing job cuts due to Covid and a victory for UNISON (and common sense)
Flawed regulations threatened to blight the retirement of staffResponding to the government announcement today (Friday) that it is revo…Read more…
Palestine: Is your pension invested in the occupation?
UNISON launches new guide on pension fund engagement and divestment from companies involved in the occupation of Palestine
The article Palestine: Is your pension invested in the occupation? first…Read more…
Newham Pension Committee: We have a 111 year old pensioner! No tobacco pledge (and why parents should join the LGPS – and anyone else lucky enough to be eligible)
This evening I took part in the Newham Council Pension Committee, which runs the staff pension fund (under government regulations and guidance). It was our first “public” committee meeting (via zoom) since lock down. It was broadcast live on Facebook (…Read more…
LGPS survey: local authorities adapting slowly to COVID-19
A survey of the Local Government Pension Scheme, taken in mid-May, shows how local authorities are adapting to COVID-19
The article LGPS survey: local authorities adapting slowly to COVID-19 first…Read more…
UNISON welcomes Supreme Court decision on ethical LGPS investment
This is an important legal ruling that effectively stops the UK £300 billion Council pension funds being told they cannot decide where to invest unless it is pleases the current foreign or defence secretary. Well done to Greater London UNISON act…Read more…
UNISON welcomes Supreme Court decision on ethical LGPS investment
Court overturns LGPS regulations banning investment decisions which aren’t in line with government foreign and defence policy
The article UNISON welcomes Supreme Court decision on ethical LGPS…Read more…