It is easy to forget with all the talk about Pensions (and rightly so) that it is that time again when our National Negotiators are busy trying to obtain the best deal for us.
Follow the link to see what the starting point for negotiations. We will keep you posted on any future developments
http://www.unison.org.uk/localgov/pages_view.asp?did=4524
Barnet UNISON members what do you think of the claim?
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Pensions..........you confused........?
UNISON have at last produced a ready reckoner.
Input your details in order to compare the current and the proposed scheme.
Follow the link below
http://www.unison.org.uk/pensions/news_view.asp?did=3062
Input your details in order to compare the current and the proposed scheme.
Follow the link below
http://www.unison.org.uk/pensions/news_view.asp?did=3062
Fremantle workers and relatives campaign update
Fremantle Workers update
The Strike ballot ends on Monday 19 February for further news on the latest attacks on these staff please follow the link…………………..
http://www.unison.org.uk/file/B3040.pdf.pdf
Please Support our campaign email
john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
The Strike ballot ends on Monday 19 February for further news on the latest attacks on these staff please follow the link…………………..
http://www.unison.org.uk/file/B3040.pdf.pdf
Please Support our campaign email
john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Barnet Learners receive their Awards
This is really what it is all about !
Just two of the many Learners receiving their certificates from the Chief Executive of Barnet Council at the Return2Learn Open day on 12 February 2007.
The real challenge for the Council and Barnet UNISON is to ensure the Action Plan delivers. We are already planning courses for staff working in Environmental Services, Children's Services, Cleaning Contractors, Housing 21 starting after Easter.
We are determined to champion Learning opportunities for all staff.
If you want to enrol on one of our course please contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 where our Life Long Learning Coordinator Carmen Bruno will speak to you.
Signed Sealed & Delivered!
On 12 February 2007 Barnet UNISON and Barnet Council held a Skills for Life Open day and and received the National GO Award. Although awards can be seen as tick box awards with little or no impact on staff in this case I would have to disagree. The impact on Learners lives both at work and at home has truly been ‘Life Changing’
Since we signed our Learning Agreement in October 2005, Life Long Learning has been at the heart of our branch activities. Within four weeks of the signing the agreement we had an IT suite for staff to start our Return2learn courses. From January to July 2006 we ran 10 courses for almost 150 staff working down our depot. For some staff it was the first time a Trade Union had really spent any time with them.
This January the programme of courses has started again with two school staff courses starting, an ESOL course for staff working for the local cleaning contractors and one course for Housing 21 (Home Care provider).
The team of ULRs under the leadership of our Life Long Learning Coordinator (Carmen Bruno) have managed to spread the message of Life Long Learning across the Council and the Council’s business partners. It was then fantastic news to hear that Carmen and her team had received a national award (the IDea (Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government) award) for the best Union Learner Rep team.
The GO Award and the National ULR award mark a new stage in the development of Life Long Learning in Barnet. Usually when an organisation signs up for GO Award, they have 6 months to develop an Action Plan, which if approved means achieving the GO Award. In Barnet we signed up and achieved the GO Award all on the same day. It has been hard work but the Action Plan now provides the Council with some serious targets over the next two years.
Often Trade Union work is adversarial, this work has been totally the opposite. I feel that it is the most rewarding work I have been involved with in almost 25 years of involvement in Trade Unions.
It’s Life Changing
This does sum up what these courses have meant to staff. Our tutor claims he has seen Learners visibly grow in confidence as they progress through the courses.
The Future
We are looking forward to the relocation of the training facilities in the Depot to something more secure and suitable learning environment. We hope that sometime in the near future we will be able to secure time off for our ULRs to staff the IT suite in order to facilitate staff to practise using the IT and perhaps take the National Tests.
Message for all branches
Get Involved! It is an excellent recruitment initiative. It raises the profile of the Union within the work place. It provides a different space for dialogue with your employer.
But lastly and most importantly it provides a second chance for a large group of staff who are have been consistently ignored, poor paid and therefore denied opportunities to progress not just within the work place but the wider society as a whole.
John Burgess – Branch Secretary
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
Fremantle workers and Relatives campaign
Tomorrow night John McDonnell MP addresses the Fremantle Workers and Relatives Public meeting at Hendon Town Hall 16 January 2007
John has openly 'thrown his hat into the ring' as a contender for the Leadership of the Labour party. Whilst senior Labour politicians avoid a possible leadership election (and fight over the meaningless role of deputy leader) John McDonnell has been campaigning up and down the country speaking to trade unions, public meetings outlining his view for the Labour party.
What is key is the debate within the Labour party is outlining the future. For UNISON members it is a crucial debate and one in which UNISON should be leading as Public Services are under attack under Blair’s government.
John will be speaking about the mass lobby of Parliament next week ( 23 January 2007) in conjunction with the TUC and UNISON where the Fremantle workers and relatives campaign will be given a national exposure.
Support your colleagues come along tomorrow evening.
More on the New Look Pension Scheme
Barnet UNISON members please note on Friday 12 Janaury UNISON London region had a Pension briefing.
On the subject of Pensions contributions it became clear that a significant number of our members would be discriminated against if the current formula is passed unopposed. For details please see example below.
What was explained at the pensions briefing was that while the first £12000 would be at the lower rate of 5.5% this would be pro rataed for part time workers who would work out the proportion of the salary that will be deducted at the higher rate by working out what the full time salary would be and applying the proportions to the part time salary. If a worker earns 12000 and works exactly half the working week their full time equivalent salary would be £24000 so that 50% or £6000 will be deducted at 5.5% and the other 50% £6000 would be at 7.5%.This is appalling discrimination of part time workers who are mainly women and can not understand why this was not consider a “deal breaker” as they described a number of points in the new scheme. What the negotiators appeared not to have even taken account off is the effect on huge number of term time only workers, whether full time (during the working weeks) or not. A quick calculation seems to leave teaching assistant earning £12000 working 25 hours a week (which is about normal hours) and term time only paying nearly £100 more to pension scheme then some one earning £12000 on a full time basis.
Quite clearly it is important for members and branches feedback concerns about the proposals.
Do you have a view?
Please email the branch or post a message on our BLOG.
Pensions BLOG update 15 January 2007
Barnet UNISON sent out last week the latest update from UNISON HQ.
I am attaching a briefing on negotiations from Glenn Kelly Local Government NEC member.
Report from Special Service Group Executive held on 10th January
On Wednesday 10th January the local government executive voted (16-5) to accept a proposal from the leadership to give the government yet more time, to come up with the goods, before deciding whether to launch the strike ballot or not. This is despite the fact that no one argued that we are near reaching a good deal and they recognised that some of the proposals have got worse since 23rd November.
We now have to await the outcome of talks and a decision on balloting is now postponed until the 8th February. This means that the earliest date a strike ballot would start is 8th March with a strike on 26th April at the earliest. Despite the fact that the government are still intent on laying the regulations by the 10th of March so they will become law on the 1st April 2007.
If it were the case that the government’s draft regulations were clearly making concessions to us, this may have been a reasonable tactic but the truth is that the current proposals are not a step forwards and in parts things are getting worse.
We should be exerting as much pressure as possible now to force more from the government and be ready to strike if they don’t back down. That is why I proposed we move to a ballot now and not wait any longer.
After the government minister made his announcement on the 23rd of November, Jean Geldart (elected head of local government) wrote, “Chris Tansley (Vice Chair) and I have had a discussion about where the government proposals leave us, particularly over protection but also the contribution increases and unless anything changes before now and the 4th December we are minded to propose that Unison should ballot for strike action”. If that were the case then we have the right to ask what has changed in the last five weeks of negotiations, have things moved in our direction or not, are we winning, losing or standing still?
Take a look at what is now proposed on the key issues and judge for yourself.
Protection of the 85yr rule
The truth is we have not secured a single extra days protection than was on offer on 23rd November.
So that anyone under the age of 50 (who would meet 85yr rule) will have to accept losing the right to retire at 60 or face a massive cut in their pension and they will be asked to pay more for this privilege (if they earn £16,000 a year or more).
The new Unison bulletin graphically demonstrates what this will mean.
For instance a 45yr old member with 15yrs existing service earning £20,000 a year will lose a £1000 a year in pension or £11k in lump sum, if they want to retire at 60. They will also have pay £60 more in pension contributions.
In order to get the same benefit, as they are entitled to now, they would have to work an extra two years!
A 35yr old member with 15yrs existing service earning £20,000 a year will lose a £1500 a year in pension or £20k in lump if they want to retire at 60. They will also have to pay £60 a year more in pension contributions.
If they want to get what they get now they would have to work an extra two and half years.
These examples show that even with the benefit of the 1/60th scheme tens of thousands of our members will be significantly worse off.
Some may say that not all members would meet the 85yr rule criteria, which is true, but UNISON previously produced figure showing that over 60% of women members of the scheme and 70% of men would meet the 85yr rule requirements so will lose out.
Even a member who doesn’t qualify for the 85yr rule would be no better off if those chose to go at 60. But would have to pay more and have worse rights in relation to redundancy act.
We should not forget that every health worker, teacher and civil servant has retained their right to retire at 60 without loss. If its good enough for them then its good enough for us.
Contribution rates
They are exactly the same as was stated on 23rd Nov, Effectively anyone earning £16k a year or more will pay more.
There is no protection for those manual workers on the existing 5% rate and they will have to pay the higher rates.
In fact the position is now worse than stated in November. Those part time low paid members who thought that they’d get a small reduction will face an actual increase as the UNISON bulletin points out.
Under the current proposals those who are part time will have contributions calculated on a formula based on whole time equivalent pay and then pro rata. For example, if someone worked half time (in a post paying £24k for a full time post holder) so there earnings were £12,000 their contribution would not be 5.5% on the whole amount but 5.5% on one half of there pay i.e. £6,000 and 7.5% on the other £6,000.
In this case they would end up paying more than they do now so the very people who were supposed to gain from the lower contribution rate will end up paying more. (8% more in this example).
Redundancy
Currently if you are made redundant and are 50 or over, your pension is paid as of right and cannot be refused or reduced for early payment. In fact in many boroughs members get added years.
After 2010 the age you can take your pension in these circumstances will now rise to 55yrs. (immediately for new members joining the scheme).
As if this were not bad enough under the new proposals, If you’re made redundant or leave for efficiency reasons after 1st April 2008, the employer will have the right to refuse to release your pension.
Even if they agree to let you have your pension, the employer will be legally bound to consider reducing your pension by an early retirement factor for early payment.
How many of us would be confident that their employers, if given the chance to save even more money when making redundancies wont grab it with both hands.
These proposals have never even been raised with the unions before and are a sign that the government is taking the P*%@ out of us.
This proposal alone could affect more people that the attack on the 85year rule.
Ill health proposals
This is an area where there is some improvement, particulary for those members who are too ill to work, but cant prove that they will be unfit until 65 and at the moment get no pension. (Often stress depression cases).
However you will now have to show that you are unfit for “any gainful employment” and not just in local government, as opposed to the current position of being unfit for your job or a comparable post.
Future Risk sharing
The government wants a built in process every three years that any increased costs to the scheme will be shared.
In the health service a deal has been struck which means that any additional costs in the scheme after 2008 will be met entirely by members of the scheme. I.e. their contribution rates could go up again or they could lose some of their existing benefits.
This is potentially a recipe for the government and the employer to come back for even more attacks every three years.
It is vital that all members know what is still at risk and that all sides of the union are still saying that if there are not enough concessions by the 7th February then the strike ballot is on.
Glenn Kelly
Local Government NEC member
I am attaching a briefing on negotiations from Glenn Kelly Local Government NEC member.
Report from Special Service Group Executive held on 10th January
On Wednesday 10th January the local government executive voted (16-5) to accept a proposal from the leadership to give the government yet more time, to come up with the goods, before deciding whether to launch the strike ballot or not. This is despite the fact that no one argued that we are near reaching a good deal and they recognised that some of the proposals have got worse since 23rd November.
We now have to await the outcome of talks and a decision on balloting is now postponed until the 8th February. This means that the earliest date a strike ballot would start is 8th March with a strike on 26th April at the earliest. Despite the fact that the government are still intent on laying the regulations by the 10th of March so they will become law on the 1st April 2007.
If it were the case that the government’s draft regulations were clearly making concessions to us, this may have been a reasonable tactic but the truth is that the current proposals are not a step forwards and in parts things are getting worse.
We should be exerting as much pressure as possible now to force more from the government and be ready to strike if they don’t back down. That is why I proposed we move to a ballot now and not wait any longer.
After the government minister made his announcement on the 23rd of November, Jean Geldart (elected head of local government) wrote, “Chris Tansley (Vice Chair) and I have had a discussion about where the government proposals leave us, particularly over protection but also the contribution increases and unless anything changes before now and the 4th December we are minded to propose that Unison should ballot for strike action”. If that were the case then we have the right to ask what has changed in the last five weeks of negotiations, have things moved in our direction or not, are we winning, losing or standing still?
Take a look at what is now proposed on the key issues and judge for yourself.
Protection of the 85yr rule
The truth is we have not secured a single extra days protection than was on offer on 23rd November.
So that anyone under the age of 50 (who would meet 85yr rule) will have to accept losing the right to retire at 60 or face a massive cut in their pension and they will be asked to pay more for this privilege (if they earn £16,000 a year or more).
The new Unison bulletin graphically demonstrates what this will mean.
For instance a 45yr old member with 15yrs existing service earning £20,000 a year will lose a £1000 a year in pension or £11k in lump sum, if they want to retire at 60. They will also have pay £60 more in pension contributions.
In order to get the same benefit, as they are entitled to now, they would have to work an extra two years!
A 35yr old member with 15yrs existing service earning £20,000 a year will lose a £1500 a year in pension or £20k in lump if they want to retire at 60. They will also have to pay £60 a year more in pension contributions.
If they want to get what they get now they would have to work an extra two and half years.
These examples show that even with the benefit of the 1/60th scheme tens of thousands of our members will be significantly worse off.
Some may say that not all members would meet the 85yr rule criteria, which is true, but UNISON previously produced figure showing that over 60% of women members of the scheme and 70% of men would meet the 85yr rule requirements so will lose out.
Even a member who doesn’t qualify for the 85yr rule would be no better off if those chose to go at 60. But would have to pay more and have worse rights in relation to redundancy act.
We should not forget that every health worker, teacher and civil servant has retained their right to retire at 60 without loss. If its good enough for them then its good enough for us.
Contribution rates
They are exactly the same as was stated on 23rd Nov, Effectively anyone earning £16k a year or more will pay more.
There is no protection for those manual workers on the existing 5% rate and they will have to pay the higher rates.
In fact the position is now worse than stated in November. Those part time low paid members who thought that they’d get a small reduction will face an actual increase as the UNISON bulletin points out.
Under the current proposals those who are part time will have contributions calculated on a formula based on whole time equivalent pay and then pro rata. For example, if someone worked half time (in a post paying £24k for a full time post holder) so there earnings were £12,000 their contribution would not be 5.5% on the whole amount but 5.5% on one half of there pay i.e. £6,000 and 7.5% on the other £6,000.
In this case they would end up paying more than they do now so the very people who were supposed to gain from the lower contribution rate will end up paying more. (8% more in this example).
Redundancy
Currently if you are made redundant and are 50 or over, your pension is paid as of right and cannot be refused or reduced for early payment. In fact in many boroughs members get added years.
After 2010 the age you can take your pension in these circumstances will now rise to 55yrs. (immediately for new members joining the scheme).
As if this were not bad enough under the new proposals, If you’re made redundant or leave for efficiency reasons after 1st April 2008, the employer will have the right to refuse to release your pension.
Even if they agree to let you have your pension, the employer will be legally bound to consider reducing your pension by an early retirement factor for early payment.
How many of us would be confident that their employers, if given the chance to save even more money when making redundancies wont grab it with both hands.
These proposals have never even been raised with the unions before and are a sign that the government is taking the P*%@ out of us.
This proposal alone could affect more people that the attack on the 85year rule.
Ill health proposals
This is an area where there is some improvement, particulary for those members who are too ill to work, but cant prove that they will be unfit until 65 and at the moment get no pension. (Often stress depression cases).
However you will now have to show that you are unfit for “any gainful employment” and not just in local government, as opposed to the current position of being unfit for your job or a comparable post.
Future Risk sharing
The government wants a built in process every three years that any increased costs to the scheme will be shared.
In the health service a deal has been struck which means that any additional costs in the scheme after 2008 will be met entirely by members of the scheme. I.e. their contribution rates could go up again or they could lose some of their existing benefits.
This is potentially a recipe for the government and the employer to come back for even more attacks every three years.
It is vital that all members know what is still at risk and that all sides of the union are still saying that if there are not enough concessions by the 7th February then the strike ballot is on.
Glenn Kelly
Local Government NEC member
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Pensions Latest
NEWSLETTER 47 11 DECEMBER 2006
ONE WEEK TO CHANGE THOSE REGULATIONS! PLUS…INFORMATION ON GOVERNANCE AND DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS
LAST DAYS TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS – KEEP UP THE PRESSURE
Well done to those of you who have already contacted your MP’s – We know that the message is getting through - with responses from Boris Johnson to Jack Straw! But with one week to go before the draft Regulations appear, we have to continue to lobby hard. If you haven’t yet contacted your MP, please try and speak to him/her before Thursday when we expect the draft Regulations to be laid.
We must use these last days to persuade Phil Woolas to resolve this dispute.
So please make an appointment now to visit your MP in his/her constituency office or surgery
As a reminder - we need your MP to……
Persuade Phil Woolas to use his powers to amend his proposals for the ‘new look’ LGPS. It is within his power as LGPS Regulator to resolve this dispute.
Tell him/her that UNISON – and other trade union members – are entitled to a fair deal and equal treatment with other public sector pension scheme members.
This means …..
Better protection for existing members - with Scotland getting protection to 2020 and Northern Ireland set to go further, there is clearly no legal barrier to extending protection
A fair ill health retirement scheme – with numbers of ill health retirements dropping rapidly, there is no justification for hitting the most vulnerable members of staff in this way
Improved benefits - such as the 1/60 accumulation rate for existing protected members as well as new ones – no two tier system
No increase in the employee contribution rate to pay for a worse scheme, with lower employer contributions. ( The current proposals are for an average increase of 0.3% for employees and a drop of 0.3% for employers)
Better early retirement reduction factors – the current factors are far too punitive compared to other schemes
Remember: The cost of this is well within the 50% of savings from the deletion of the 85 year rule and the 25% commutation rate, combined with savings employers will start to make now from new employees joining a scheme without the 85 Rule and with the 25% lump sum commutation provision. Council Tax will not need to go up and the employers will save year on year as new members join.
Redundancy – LGPS Regulations
The Regulations replacing the Local Government Discretionary Payments Regulations (DPR) have now been laid. The DCLG has not heeded our legal arguments and has removed the power of employers to award up to ten added years. Under the new Regulations, the ceiling on lump sum payments on redundancy has increased from 66 to 104 weeks if compensation is paid under the DPR. The DCLG draws attention to the fact that employers can still award up to 6 2/3 added years under Regulation 52 of the LGPS. Our legal advice is that it is perfectly legal for authorities to continue to award added years under this Regulation to those made redundant.
The DCLG has agreed to improve the transitional protection so that added years are still allowed under the DPR for those who leave on or before the 1 April 2007. The power to award up to 104 weeks has been backdated to 1 October 2006.
The intention of these changes is not to cut costs. The DCLG explanatory memorandum to the new regulations states that there is ‘no reason to suppose that that implementation would lead employers to change their overall compensation budgets’.
A monitoring group has been set up by the DCLG to see what further changes should be made. UNISON has pointed out that many authorities are already using the change in the Regulations as an excuse to worsen their policies on compensating redundancy.
Department of Work and Pensions amendment to the Age Regulations
Many employers will try to use the Age Regulations as an excuse not to award added years altogether. However, the Department of Work and Pensions has just laid the amendments that UNISON pushed for. (Their intention is to exempt those made redundant from the Age Regulations.) The full text of the amendment is below
Our legal advice is that the amendments should allow employers to continue to award added years. This means the employer should no longer be able to hide behind the Age Regulations if they want to worsen redundancy provision.
Section 13 B of the Employment Equality (Age) (Amendment No 2) Regulations 2006
(1) A minimum age for any member of a scheme for payment of or entitlement to a particular age related benefit on the grounds of redundancy where it is enhanced in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) and paid either with or without consent (whether of an employer, the trustees or managers of the scheme or otherwise).
(2) The enhancement of any age related benefit payable to or in respect of a member on the grounds of redundancy where the enhancement is calculated in one or more of the following ways:
(a) by reference to the years of prospective pensionable service a member would have completed if he had remained in pensionable service until normal pension age;
(b) by reference to a fixed number of years of prospective pensionable service;
(c) by making an actuarial reduction which is smaller than if early retirement had been on grounds to which paragraph 12 applied; or
(d) by not making any actuarial reduction for early retirement.
(3) Sub-paragraph (1) shall also apply to different minimum ages for different groups or categories of members..
Branches are urged to continue to advise Glyn Jenkins head of UNISON’s Pensions Unit where the changes are being used by employers to stop them from awarding adequate compensation.
Who Runs the LGPS?
Phil Woolas, the DCLG Minister, has announced details of the Government's reform of the LGPS governance arrangements. For the first time in the history of the scheme, trade union representation will be enshrined in the management of investments and administration. Administering authorities will be required to establish, at a minimum, an advisory panel to the main council committee and give the representatives voting rights. Further details will be circulated. The proposed governance arrangements will be included in the draft Regulations to be released shortly.
ONE WEEK TO CHANGE THOSE REGULATIONS! PLUS…INFORMATION ON GOVERNANCE AND DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS
LAST DAYS TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS – KEEP UP THE PRESSURE
Well done to those of you who have already contacted your MP’s – We know that the message is getting through - with responses from Boris Johnson to Jack Straw! But with one week to go before the draft Regulations appear, we have to continue to lobby hard. If you haven’t yet contacted your MP, please try and speak to him/her before Thursday when we expect the draft Regulations to be laid.
We must use these last days to persuade Phil Woolas to resolve this dispute.
So please make an appointment now to visit your MP in his/her constituency office or surgery
As a reminder - we need your MP to……
Persuade Phil Woolas to use his powers to amend his proposals for the ‘new look’ LGPS. It is within his power as LGPS Regulator to resolve this dispute.
Tell him/her that UNISON – and other trade union members – are entitled to a fair deal and equal treatment with other public sector pension scheme members.
This means …..
Better protection for existing members - with Scotland getting protection to 2020 and Northern Ireland set to go further, there is clearly no legal barrier to extending protection
A fair ill health retirement scheme – with numbers of ill health retirements dropping rapidly, there is no justification for hitting the most vulnerable members of staff in this way
Improved benefits - such as the 1/60 accumulation rate for existing protected members as well as new ones – no two tier system
No increase in the employee contribution rate to pay for a worse scheme, with lower employer contributions. ( The current proposals are for an average increase of 0.3% for employees and a drop of 0.3% for employers)
Better early retirement reduction factors – the current factors are far too punitive compared to other schemes
Remember: The cost of this is well within the 50% of savings from the deletion of the 85 year rule and the 25% commutation rate, combined with savings employers will start to make now from new employees joining a scheme without the 85 Rule and with the 25% lump sum commutation provision. Council Tax will not need to go up and the employers will save year on year as new members join.
Redundancy – LGPS Regulations
The Regulations replacing the Local Government Discretionary Payments Regulations (DPR) have now been laid. The DCLG has not heeded our legal arguments and has removed the power of employers to award up to ten added years. Under the new Regulations, the ceiling on lump sum payments on redundancy has increased from 66 to 104 weeks if compensation is paid under the DPR. The DCLG draws attention to the fact that employers can still award up to 6 2/3 added years under Regulation 52 of the LGPS. Our legal advice is that it is perfectly legal for authorities to continue to award added years under this Regulation to those made redundant.
The DCLG has agreed to improve the transitional protection so that added years are still allowed under the DPR for those who leave on or before the 1 April 2007. The power to award up to 104 weeks has been backdated to 1 October 2006.
The intention of these changes is not to cut costs. The DCLG explanatory memorandum to the new regulations states that there is ‘no reason to suppose that that implementation would lead employers to change their overall compensation budgets’.
A monitoring group has been set up by the DCLG to see what further changes should be made. UNISON has pointed out that many authorities are already using the change in the Regulations as an excuse to worsen their policies on compensating redundancy.
Department of Work and Pensions amendment to the Age Regulations
Many employers will try to use the Age Regulations as an excuse not to award added years altogether. However, the Department of Work and Pensions has just laid the amendments that UNISON pushed for. (Their intention is to exempt those made redundant from the Age Regulations.) The full text of the amendment is below
Our legal advice is that the amendments should allow employers to continue to award added years. This means the employer should no longer be able to hide behind the Age Regulations if they want to worsen redundancy provision.
Section 13 B of the Employment Equality (Age) (Amendment No 2) Regulations 2006
(1) A minimum age for any member of a scheme for payment of or entitlement to a particular age related benefit on the grounds of redundancy where it is enhanced in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) and paid either with or without consent (whether of an employer, the trustees or managers of the scheme or otherwise).
(2) The enhancement of any age related benefit payable to or in respect of a member on the grounds of redundancy where the enhancement is calculated in one or more of the following ways:
(a) by reference to the years of prospective pensionable service a member would have completed if he had remained in pensionable service until normal pension age;
(b) by reference to a fixed number of years of prospective pensionable service;
(c) by making an actuarial reduction which is smaller than if early retirement had been on grounds to which paragraph 12 applied; or
(d) by not making any actuarial reduction for early retirement.
(3) Sub-paragraph (1) shall also apply to different minimum ages for different groups or categories of members..
Branches are urged to continue to advise Glyn Jenkins head of UNISON’s Pensions Unit where the changes are being used by employers to stop them from awarding adequate compensation.
Who Runs the LGPS?
Phil Woolas, the DCLG Minister, has announced details of the Government's reform of the LGPS governance arrangements. For the first time in the history of the scheme, trade union representation will be enshrined in the management of investments and administration. Administering authorities will be required to establish, at a minimum, an advisory panel to the main council committee and give the representatives voting rights. Further details will be circulated. The proposed governance arrangements will be included in the draft Regulations to be released shortly.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
“Yo ho ho!......Season of goodwill” - A Christmas Carol Fremantle version
Scroo
ge
…not if you are working for Fremantle. Last weekend our UNISON Fremantle workers received a letter through the post, unfortunately it was not a christmas card. It was a letter from Fremantle giving them an ultimatum (sign by the 31 December 2006) to sign away their terms and conditions in exchange for poverty wages, and before Fremantle complain and boy do they like to complain……£7.05 is the acknowledged living wage target for the GLA and decent employers. Now there is a challenge!
Yes there there has been a lot of bad feeling since Fremantle first approached UNISON with these draconian proposals , but sending down their managers to all the settings this week is not helping matters. Indeed the resolve of our members to resist their threats is quite humbling.
I am sure Fremantle thought that by issuing the new contracts just before Christmas our members would just crack and sign away their employment rights.
Well Fremantle put away the champagne…..our members are not giving up just yet. We never asked you to take up the contract, if you got the sums wrong when you bid for this contract don’t take it out on our members. If you have an issue take up with the Council,... they signed the contract.
Just in case you hadn’t noticed…you are not just dealing with Barnet UNISON… we belong to a National union and word is spreading of your actions...
But to be fair to Fremantle this is not just about them….the problem of attacking public services is being felt across the public services in health,higher education, further education, energy. It is good to see that our union along with the TUC are organising an event to highlight these attacks on 23 January 2007. It will be good to see UNISON branches across all service groups standing side by side on this issue.
But apart from politicians who live in their own peter pan world…..who is actually seeing the benefit from this outsourcing?
In the past the unions were often attacked for being too dogmatic afraid of change. Yet the “privatisation is best” dogma being promoted by this government is being seriously exposed as contracts are being cancelled as services fail to deliver. It is important for UNISON members paying contributions to the Labour Party are aware that there is a Labour politician John McDonnell who has thrown his hat into the ring to challenge Gordon Brown. I suggest UNISON members have a look at what he is proposing....he supports UNISON policies something a lot of Labour MPs seem to be ignoring. He needs enough Labour MPs to officially challenge but if he does it will certainly mean issues that fundamentally affect UNISON members both at work and at home will be up for debate within the Labour party.......and he is coming to our Fremantle workers Public meeting on 16 January 2007.
Fremantle, do you really believe that by cutting terms and conditions you will generate good quality services? Fremantle we know you are not a London based organsiation but can you really believe that it is possible for staff to work and live in London on the terms and conditions that you are proposing?
So, while we send our members good wishes and promise to stand side by side with them…..please send messages of support to the Fremantle workers to john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk or turn up at our public meeting at Hendon Town Hall on 16 January 2007 for 7 pm
ge…not if you are working for Fremantle. Last weekend our UNISON Fremantle workers received a letter through the post, unfortunately it was not a christmas card. It was a letter from Fremantle giving them an ultimatum (sign by the 31 December 2006) to sign away their terms and conditions in exchange for poverty wages, and before Fremantle complain and boy do they like to complain……£7.05 is the acknowledged living wage target for the GLA and decent employers. Now there is a challenge!
Yes there there has been a lot of bad feeling since Fremantle first approached UNISON with these draconian proposals , but sending down their managers to all the settings this week is not helping matters. Indeed the resolve of our members to resist their threats is quite humbling.
I am sure Fremantle thought that by issuing the new contracts just before Christmas our members would just crack and sign away their employment rights.
Well Fremantle put away the champagne…..our members are not giving up just yet. We never asked you to take up the contract, if you got the sums wrong when you bid for this contract don’t take it out on our members. If you have an issue take up with the Council,... they signed the contract.
Just in case you hadn’t noticed…you are not just dealing with Barnet UNISON… we belong to a National union and word is spreading of your actions...
But to be fair to Fremantle this is not just about them….the problem of attacking public services is being felt across the public services in health,higher education, further education, energy. It is good to see that our union along with the TUC are organising an event to highlight these attacks on 23 January 2007. It will be good to see UNISON branches across all service groups standing side by side on this issue.
But apart from politicians who live in their own peter pan world…..who is actually seeing the benefit from this outsourcing?
In the past the unions were often attacked for being too dogmatic afraid of change. Yet the “privatisation is best” dogma being promoted by this government is being seriously exposed as contracts are being cancelled as services fail to deliver. It is important for UNISON members paying contributions to the Labour Party are aware that there is a Labour politician John McDonnell who has thrown his hat into the ring to challenge Gordon Brown. I suggest UNISON members have a look at what he is proposing....he supports UNISON policies something a lot of Labour MPs seem to be ignoring. He needs enough Labour MPs to officially challenge but if he does it will certainly mean issues that fundamentally affect UNISON members both at work and at home will be up for debate within the Labour party.......and he is coming to our Fremantle workers Public meeting on 16 January 2007.
Fremantle, do you really believe that by cutting terms and conditions you will generate good quality services? Fremantle we know you are not a London based organsiation but can you really believe that it is possible for staff to work and live in London on the terms and conditions that you are proposing?
So, while we send our members good wishes and promise to stand side by side with them…..please send messages of support to the Fremantle workers to john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk or turn up at our public meeting at Hendon Town Hall on 16 January 2007 for 7 pm
Monday, November 27, 2006
Union Learner Reps (ULR) come to Barnet
Whilst we have been relatively successful in running 15 courses for staff in Environmental Services we are acutely aware that all Council staff should have the same opportunities.
This September, 10 UNISON members completed their ULR training. They are due to attend the first meeting with training champions for all the service areas across the Council this December. We hope this will be the start of training opportunities for all staff regardless whether they belong to a trade union.
ULRs are really Learning Champions, government legislation has ensured that ULRs have a legal entitlement to carry out their role.
We are keen to recruit and train more ULRs.
If you are interested in finding out what is involved please contact Carmen Bruno (UNISON Life Long Learning Coordinator) carmen.bruno@barnetunison.org.uk
Barnet UNISON providing training for new UNISON stewards in Barnet
Without stewards the union would not exist. That is why our branch is determined to keep providing training for any UNISON members taking on the responsibilities of a steward.
We have run several courses locally (Hendon Town Hall) because we want stewards to relate what they learn directly to their workplace. Everyone who has been on the course has given the course a ‘big thumbs up’.
Taking on the steward’s role is a responsibility, but you are not alone. We have an extensive network of stewards and Officers, all at the end of the phone or email.
But we always need more stewards, so if you are interested please contact the Barnet UNISON office julie.crouch@barnetunison.org.uk and we will arrange for someone to call you.
Barnet UNISON and Barnet Council collect Awards for Return2Learn
Last week Barnet Council and Barnet UNISON accepted two Awards for Employer of the Year and Life Long Learner of the Year, from College of North East London (CoNEL)
It may be news to Barnet Council staff but yes it is true.
It is a reward for the all the hard work done by the UNISON Life Long Learning Coordinator Carmen Bruno working in partnership with the managers and staff in Environmental Services.
Return2Learn is spreading across the whole council. We are hoping to confirm that there will be an Open Day to promote Return2Learn in early February 2007.
If you want to know more about what it means and how to access courses please email: carmen.bruno@barnetunison.org.uk
Fremantle workers update Nov 2006
Fremantle have written to Barnet UNISON complaining that our previous article was misleading. Firstly is is good to see that the Blog is being read.
So what was misleading?
The misleading bit is the reference to the 'fluctuation clause'. We reported "Fremantle and Catalyst have decided that it is easier to attack experienced hard working low paid workers than approach Barnet Council and demand they honour the contract.”
Fremantle insist this misrepresents the situation.............
But wait a minute.......according to our Regional Officer, Fremantle have repeatedly ignored our requests to hold off the attacks on Barnet Fremantle workers conditions until the outcome of their disccussions with Barnet Council have been completed.
So, Fremantle, how about an early Christmas present for your staff?
Call off your plans to attack their terms and conditions and start pursuing the REAL alternative....sitting down with Barnet Council to implement the 'Fluctuation clause'.
I am sure staff and relatives and the trade unions would fully support this initiative....let's work together.
We are waiting.....................................
Government Snubs union’s call for Pensions justice - Glenn Kelly (Local Government NEC member)
With the best pension scheme in Europe netting a £28,000 a year for a MP’s, Phil Wools the local Government minister got to his feet last week to lecture us on why the government needed to attack our pension because of affordability
Despite over 1000 delegates lobbying parliament on Wednesday 22nd November to call on government to protect our pensions New labour (who we fund to the tune of £2m plus a year) have now put their new offer on the table, as predicted they want to us to pay more for less.
Protection
Having already scrapped the right to retire at 60, (if you have 25yrs local government service) which has saved the employers £15billion, they have refused to even move on the protection offered for existing members of the scheme. Only those over 50 are being offered protection.
We pay more they pay less!
They now want us to pay more. At the moment ex manual workers pay 5% of their salary in pension contributions and the rest pay 6%.
The government offer is now saying contribution rates will be 5.5% on the first £12k earned and 7.5% on rest. It will be some of the lowest paid who will suffer most out of this.
But, It won’t stop there, unlike the past where the rates of contribution were fixed they now want us to bear the brunt of any future problems. They are proposing that the amount we pay is reviewed again in 2009 for any further changes being implemented in 2011.
Whilst we pay more, the employers will be able to cut their contribution rate down to 13.2% from 14.5%.
Redundancy rights attacked
At the moment you can take your pension at 50 if your made redundant and in many council’s you can also get added years. Both these measures are now to go and you will not be able to take your pension even if made redundant before the age of 55 this is to be introduced in 2010
Attack on the ill health retirement rights
At the moment if your declared permanently unfit for your job you can take your pension and get added years service. The government are now proposing that is not enough. If your declared unfit for your job but told you are fit for “any gainful” employment even outside public services then you lose the right to this benefit and will only get the pension you’ve accrued.
On top of this even if you are declared unfit and get your ill health pension, it could be taken off you, if later on your declared fit for gainful work. This could be a bully’s charter of the sick.
Accrual Rate
The only real plus on offer is the promise that the accrual rate will now be 1/60th rather than 1/80th. In the main this would mean that you could get a bigger pension or a higher lump sum than currently.
However this higher rate will only apply to service after 2008. The government documents do not mention what happens to all your existing service.
In return for this slight increase we will all be forced to work an extra five years longer or lose significant proportion of our pension.
What next
The local government executive meets on Monday the 4th December we must ensure that this offer is rejected and the strike ballot is to begin.
Despite over 1000 delegates lobbying parliament on Wednesday 22nd November to call on government to protect our pensions New labour (who we fund to the tune of £2m plus a year) have now put their new offer on the table, as predicted they want to us to pay more for less.
Protection
Having already scrapped the right to retire at 60, (if you have 25yrs local government service) which has saved the employers £15billion, they have refused to even move on the protection offered for existing members of the scheme. Only those over 50 are being offered protection.
We pay more they pay less!
They now want us to pay more. At the moment ex manual workers pay 5% of their salary in pension contributions and the rest pay 6%.
The government offer is now saying contribution rates will be 5.5% on the first £12k earned and 7.5% on rest. It will be some of the lowest paid who will suffer most out of this.
But, It won’t stop there, unlike the past where the rates of contribution were fixed they now want us to bear the brunt of any future problems. They are proposing that the amount we pay is reviewed again in 2009 for any further changes being implemented in 2011.
Whilst we pay more, the employers will be able to cut their contribution rate down to 13.2% from 14.5%.
Redundancy rights attacked
At the moment you can take your pension at 50 if your made redundant and in many council’s you can also get added years. Both these measures are now to go and you will not be able to take your pension even if made redundant before the age of 55 this is to be introduced in 2010
Attack on the ill health retirement rights
At the moment if your declared permanently unfit for your job you can take your pension and get added years service. The government are now proposing that is not enough. If your declared unfit for your job but told you are fit for “any gainful” employment even outside public services then you lose the right to this benefit and will only get the pension you’ve accrued.
On top of this even if you are declared unfit and get your ill health pension, it could be taken off you, if later on your declared fit for gainful work. This could be a bully’s charter of the sick.
Accrual Rate
The only real plus on offer is the promise that the accrual rate will now be 1/60th rather than 1/80th. In the main this would mean that you could get a bigger pension or a higher lump sum than currently.
However this higher rate will only apply to service after 2008. The government documents do not mention what happens to all your existing service.
In return for this slight increase we will all be forced to work an extra five years longer or lose significant proportion of our pension.
What next
The local government executive meets on Monday the 4th December we must ensure that this offer is rejected and the strike ballot is to begin.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Save local swimming pool in Grahame Park - Barnet College
After 30 years, Barnet College has decided to close the swimming pool at its site on Grahame Park Way in Colindale by 21/12/06. The college stated that it had been ‘forced - entirely because of financial considerations - to take this action’, citing issues such as the age of the pool and that future remedial costs would be unaffordable.
Pool users however, have been advised by Barnet College that it is because they want to convert it into accommodation for either staff/students. If extra accommodation is required, then all options should be explored fully. There was no consultation with students, community group pool users, the general public or staff, all of whom use it. The pool was closed down during mid October 2006 and by the end of October, the decision had been made to close it permanently. This was despite Barnet College not yet having applied for the necessary planning permission, which could take at the least, many months.
The swimming pool never made a profit, although it generated an income from community group users. Staff over the years have presented income generating schemes, none of which to date have been adopted, but a further proposal is being presented by Barnet UNISON. Sponsorship could have been sought. Lottery funding could also have been a viable possibility, as a community college in London recently received £ 400,000 for their sports programme.
This swimming pool is in the middle of a deprived north London estate, which is in desperate need of sports facilities. A representative for Jewish and Muslim community pool users stated that it will be impossible to replicate the single sex sessions offered for religious reasons, at the College. Low income families will also be deprived of affordable swimming lessons. Finally, members of the public, all students (including those with disabilities and those on sports courses) and staff at Barnet College have lost their local pool for ever.
Everyone knows that swimming is a great form of exercise and the benefits to our health are numerous. Exercise is key to weight management, a healthy heart and greater energy levels, and, coupled with a sensible diet, is essential for us all to live a long and healthy life. It is also very important for children to learn the habit of taking regular exercise early on in life and swimming can be a fun way to keep fit.
Time is of the essence, this pool is due to be closed by mid December. Once closed, it is highly unlikely to re-open again due to damage to the water pipes.
Barnet UNISON with the support of the Teaching Union (UCU) have started a petition and are seeking urgent talks with the College.
Please support our campaign by writing immediately to Tony Alderman, Chairman of the Board of Governors, Barnet College, Wood Street, Barnet, EN5 4AZ, telling him that Barnet College must keep the pool open. If you are in a position to offer sponsorship or make a substantial donation to finance this community pool, please contact UNISON on 020 8359 2088.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Fremantle workers dispute gathers momentum
A packed public meeting of angry relatives and Fremantle staff demanded to know why local politicians were not getting involved in this dispute. Eddy Coulson UNISON Regional officer reported that there has been a slight shift in negotiations but that there was still a long way to go.
UNISON Fremantle Convenor Carmel Reynolds questioned the wisdom of reducing the sick pay entitlement. "We don't want staff coming into work sick and infecting vulnerable residents, the consequences could be fatal!"
What angered relatives and staff the most was to learn that a fluctuation clause in the contract between Barnet Council and Catalyst Housing in the event of a funding problem was being ignored. It appears that Fremantle and Catalyst have decided that it is easier to attack experienced hard working low paid workers than approach Barnet Council and demand they honour the contract.
It was agreed at the meeting that a further public meeting be called for in January next year and all efforts made to ensure both councillors of all parties and local MPs attend. Relatives and staff agreed to attend Scrutiny meeting on 13 December and ask for urgent intervention.
Please send any messages of support for the UNISON Fremantle workers to maggi.myland@barnetunison.org.uk
5 November 2006
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