THE Coalition has now published a fourth ‘final offer’ on public sector pensions, without any negotiations with the trade unions.
Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka commented: ‘Over more than a year, ministers have refused to budge from their entirely unnecessary and politically motivated attempt to force public servants to pay more and work longer for a worse pension.
‘They have consistently refused to listen to the genuine concerns of their staff and others, and have refused to negotiate on the key issues that brought two million people out on strike last November.
‘Ministers’ obstinacy means we have this ludicrous charade of what is now our fourth “final” offer, with previous ones being desperate attempts to avert strikes and a failed bid to bounce us into accepting an arbitrary deadline before Christmas.
‘We will continue to talk to other unions about planning further widespread co-ordinated industrial action and there is as much reason as ever for our members to vote in our consultation ballot to reject these spiteful cuts.’
Also commenting on the announcement by government that it has ended negotiations with the unions, Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: ‘It has been clear throughout a whole year of negotiations that the government has never wanted an agreement.
‘This government has always intended to impose its own views and cut our pensions regardless of the case for not doing so.
‘The NUT has not signed up to these proposals and neither has the majority of the other teacher unions, representing the vast majority of teachers.
‘The Hutton Report showed that the cost of public sector pensions is actually falling due to changes already made in 2007.
‘The government has never wanted to accept this fact and has consistently refused to carry out the overdue valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
‘Asking teachers to pay 50 per cent more for their pension while their pay is frozen could lead to the collapse of the scheme as many teachers will not be able to afford to stay in it, leaving taxpayers to bear the cost of state benefits.
‘Making teachers work to 68 for a full pension is in nobody’s interest, least of all pupils.
‘We are still willing to negotiate an agreement but we cannot accept our members being asked to pay so much more and work so much longer for their pensions and receive so much less in retirement.’
The GMB public services union also responded to yesterday’s publication by the government of their final proposals for NHS, civil service and teachers’ pensions.
Brian Strutton, GMB national secretary for public services, said: ‘The release of proposed agreements for the reform of public sector pensions by the government today gives the opportunity at long last for members to have their say.
‘GMB will discuss the Civil Service and NHS scheme proposals with relevant committees on 13th and 21st March respectively to determine our stance. We will set a timetable for briefing members and consulting them in ballots to decide whether they want to accept the proposals or not.’
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