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BRIGHTON - Trade unions have threatened that they will take industrial action unless the government withdraws plans to increase the retirement age for civil servants from 60 to 65. The unions have said that the government could face the biggest strike since the General Strike of 1926.
These statements were made by leaders of various unions at the annual TUC Congress in Brighton. The pensions issue also dominated the conference since it was linked to the retirement issue. "To those who think that the anger has subsided I say think again. I promise you this, we are stronger and more united than ever before and we will take strike action to defend our pensions," warned Dave Prentis, leader of Unison.
Alan Johnson, the Trade and Industry Secretary, responded by saying that it was a mistake not to have consulted the unions before announcing the plans to up the retirement age. However his statement did little to placate the unions who say that even negotiations cannot help in this matter. "We want to make improvements to other elements of the schemes and introduce arrangements which give individuals a choice about when they retire, be it aged 60 or 65 or later. I look forward to further discussions and if we face the facts together, I’m confident that our negotiations will succeed," Johnson told the delegates at the conference.
The conference got off to a frenetic beginning with Gate Gourmet workers firing the first salvo. Even Chancellor Gordon Brown's speech did not enthuse the crowds. "Public servants have a right to expect proposals to change their pensions arrangements to be discussed and negotiated with their trade unions," Prentiss said. Mark Serwotka, head of the public and commercial services union disclosed that 13 unions were united in their fight with the government over these issues and these unions would take collective actions if required, "If the Government imposes an increase in the pension age, industrial action is absolutely inevitable," he said.
Posted
on : Thu, 15 Sep 2005 06:05 GMT | Pensions News
By : Mike Lawson
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