UK: British unions prepare to strike over government's public sector pension reform plan

Record ID: 340612

  • Title: UK: British unions prepare to strike over government's public sector pension reform plan
  • Date: 30th November 2011
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 29, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE UNION (UCU) ACTIVIST MAKING PLACARD ACTIVIST HANDING PLACARD TO COLLEAGUE PILE OF PLACARDS READING (English): "SAVE OUR PENSIONS" ACTIVISTS BLOWING UP BALLOONS PILE OF BALLOONS WITH DESIGN READING (English): "UCU" WIDE VIEW OF BANNER READING (English): "University and College Union
  • Embargoed: 15th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Economy,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACSJWKO7KEJLHCR43VT3C5PXUK
  • Story Text: British unions get ready for a day of strikes over public sector pension reform, which organisers say will see more than 2 million people walking out on Wednesday. The strike will hit public services from health to refuse collection, closing thousands of schools and universities, and causing likely chaos at ports and airports as border control staff take to the picket line.
    Sticking together placards before getting stuck in on the picket line, British unions were getting ready to strike on Tuesday (November 29).
    The walk-out over public sector pension reform on Wednesday (November 30) is expected to involve more than 2 million British workers.
    They are protesting over the Conservative-led coalition's reforms that unions say will make employees pay more for their pensions and work for longer before they can retire.
    The government says reform is needed to rebalance the UK's budget and as people are now living longer.
    Representing some 120,000 lecturers in higher education, the University and College Union (UCU) says it expects all of its members to exchange their pens for the picket line.
    "Public sector workers have already made a big contribution. For example at the moment, most of them have had a wage freeze for several years while the cost of living is increasing. Also the government has already reduced the value of their pensions, so we feel that if there is an argument for the public sector making a contribution -- as there is for the private sector and the rich in society -- we feel our members have done their bit and enough is enough," UCU policy chief Paul Cottrell told Reuters.
    The government, which wants public sector workers to contribute more, retire later and receive pensions based on average earnings rather than final salaries, made a revised offer earlier this month.
    It was not accepted by the unions, and leaders have warned of more stoppages if ministers refuse to negotiate.
    "The government's already reduced the value of members' pensions. They want them to pay more for their pensions, and work longer for a smaller pension. That's not on. They've got to come up with something better than that or there will be further strike action," Cottrell said.
    About 30 trade unions will join the strike, hitting public services from health to refuse collection, closing thousands of schools and universities, and causing likely chaos at ports and airports as border control staff walk out from work.
    At London's University College London, UCU says all of its 2000 members, about half the academic staff, are expected to go on strike.
    "Work which we have already, you know, work which we have already done is now having some of its pay tugged away, which is very close to theft, if not actually literally theft. But this is part of a much wider package of moves by the current government -- supported unfortunately by our current employers -- to attack, undermine, reduce the funding of public services across the country," said history lecturer Simon Renton.
    Two thirds of all schools may be forced to close on Wednesday, and lectures at universities cancelled across the UK.
    But the National Union of Students has backed the action by university staff, with students at some universities planning to walk out in support.
    "I think they do an important job and I think to take away the pension they have now is a very clear symbol of their position being devalued in some way," one UCL student said.
    "I think 'good on them'. I'm all for it. I think it's actually really unfair about the cuts to their pensions because they're providing such a good service for us," said another.
    Union chiefs say the national strike on November 30 would be at least as big as a national strike during the "Winter of Discontent" in 1979 that helped Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher sweep to power.
    Numbers might even match the 1926 General Strike when an estimated 3 million were involved, they said.
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