Unite unanimously rejects NHS pensions offer
5 January 2012
The government’s latest proposals on NHS pension ‘reform’ - the
‘Heads of Agreement’ document - were unanimously rejected by Unite,
the largest union in the country, today (Thursday 5 January).
Unite’s health sector national industrial committee (HSNIC)
rejected the ‘Heads of Agreement’ as a basis for a satisfactory
outcome.
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.”
Unite’s concerns centre on three areas:
- A high proportion of NHS staff will see their pension
contributions jump from the current 6.5 per cent to 9.3 per cent by
2014/15, and other staff will see their contributions leap by
nearly 50 per cent, with some paying 14.5 per cent of their salary
into their pensions.
- The linking of the NHS retirement age to the ever-increasing
age that people will receive their state pensions. The state
retirement age is set to rise to 66 in 2020 and 67 by 2026, with
the prospect of working even longer in future decades. Unite is
concerned that, for example, paramedics and nurses could be doing
heavy lifting into their late 60s.
- The proposed accrual rate for NHS staff is worse than the
planned rates for other public sector schemes. Because this will be
based on career average earnings, it will hit women who had taken
career breaks to raise their children hardest.
The Unite HSNIC is due to meet again on 11 January to formulate
future strategy. Unite has 100,000 members in the health
service.
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
