| UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch |
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PENSIONS - WHY WE ARE ON STRIKE ON 28 MARCHWhy are we on strike?The rule of 85 allows Local Government pension Scheme members to voluntarily retire from age 60 on full pension where their age plus membership equals 85 years. Members between 50 and 60 may also retire but only with their employers’ consent. From October 2006, anyone under 53 faces having to work on to 65 before getting a full pension, no matter how long you have worked and paid into the scheme. But other public service workers have had their pensions protected by the government. Why not members of the Local Government Scheme? We’ve paid into the fund, we are entitled to the benefits we signed up to. Are we ‘lazy’ fat cats, better off than the private sector?Nonsense! 75% of local government pensions pay less than £5,000 pounds a year The average pension is £3,800 a year Half the people eligible to join the LGPS work in 12 occupations, including – Classroom assistants, care assistants and home carers, school mid-day assistants, catering assistants, cleaners, nursery nurses. (others are clerical officers, social workers, school secretaries, Youth and Community workers, Housing and welfare officers, and general office assistants.) If there were no Local Government Pension Scheme, and its members relied on state pension/pension credit, the Government would be £2bn a year worse off. Women (the majority of most local government scheme members – 72%) have an average pension of £1,616 - just £31 a week. 75% of women have a pension below £3,600. £66% of women are covered by the Rule of 85. Why is this happening?The government says the rule of 85 is age discrimination under a European age discrimination directive which has not yet been enacted. This is despite the legal advice commissioned by UNISON and CoSLA which give different interpretations of the directive and potential legislation. It also conflicts with the public statements of the EU’s spokeswoman on employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, Katherina Von Schnurbein. Tom McCabe, the Minister for Finance and Public Sector Reform has seen our legal advice but refused to reveal his! Our pension fund is healthy. We signed up and paid for the benefits. Those benefits should not be stolen from us. FIGHT FOR YOUR PENSION
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