Protect our Pensions Campaign - Meetings for Members

PAY MORE, WORK LONGER, GET LESS!

The government are proposing changes to public sector pensions. They mean you will pay more, work longer and get less. The proposals include:

· Increasing the employee contribution by 50% so you will have to pay at least another 3% of your salary - this will be phased in from 2012. This money will not go into your pension pot, but will be used by the government to reduce the deficit caused by the bankers.

· Increasing the Retirement Age from 65 to 68.

· Using the Consumer Price Index rather than Retail Price Index to calculate yearly pension increases – this doesn’t take into account housing, council tax, TV licence and car tax – and because it’s always lower this means your yearly pension increases will be lower – another way of losing money.

· Moving from a Final Salary to a Career Average Scheme – for some, this means less money for your retirement.

· The removal of the requirement for a broadly comparable pension for TUPE transferred staff – many public services are at risk of privatisation already. This will increase the likelihood of your job being outsourced as you will be more attractive to the private sector because you’ll be cheaper.

North Somerset UNISON will be running a number of meetings for members who are interested in finding out more about the threats to the Local Governement and NHS Pension Schemes. Meetings so far confirmed are:

September 6 at 12.30 to 1.30 – New Council Chamber, Town Hall

September 14 at 12.30 to 1.30 – Castlewood, rooms G08-9-10

September 20 at 12.30 to 1.30 - Weston General Hospital - Academy Syndicate C

September 27 at 12.30 to 1.30 – Weston Court – B House, F Floor, Meeting rm 2

October 4 at 12.30 to 1.30 – Old Council Chamber, Town Hall

October 20 at 12.30 to 1.30 - Weston General Hospital - Academy Ground Floor - Waverley Room

October 25 at 12.30 to 1.30 – Weston Court – B House, F Floor, Meeting rm 2

October 27 at 11.30 to 12.30 – Castlewood, rooms G08-9-10

Please make every effort to attend one of these meetings and bring your colleagues who aren't UNISON members.