Late last year union leaders of the public sector unions met to discuss the way forward on pension rights and provision. This meeting had been convened on the initiative of the civil service union PCS but was called under the auspices of the TUC.
In the civil service, as with the rest of the public sector, the Government is proposing to raise the pension retirement age and is talking of ending the final salary scheme. The PCS is trying to build a common cross public sector union position, hence the meeting.
In the jointly agreed statement following the meeting the TUC said, “The TUC will be seeking an urgent meeting with senior Ministers to press union concerns and to seek the evidence on which Government proposals are based. Unions will be demanding genuine negotiation on any proposed changes, with the aim of offering real choice for members of the public service schemes. Plans will now be made to intensify campaigning… This will include further lobbying of MPs, and planning a day of campaigning action in the New Year. If constructive progress is not made the possibility of industrial action may then arise”.
So how real will this campaign be and will there be strike action?
In the run up to the General Election the unions have a real chance to raise the pension issue up the political agenda. The fight will include private sector pensions and the level of the state pension.
Of course this will rock the boat and put New Labour on the spot. Unfortunately it is for that reason that the big affiliated unions may back off. Nevertheless it should be the task of activists in their unions to get their organisation to campaign.
Taking industrial action this side of the election makes sense. Again, party political considerations may come into play. And, again, the task of activists is clear — we should campaign for such action.
The unions have agreed to meet early in January. After that meeting we may get some idea of whether there are legs to this campaign.
By a civil servant
