Vote Yes for new pension scheme
All UNISON members who are conditioned to the Local Government
Pensions Scheme (LGPS) in Scotland will be balloted between the
3rd and the 21st March on whether to accept the new scheme.
UNISON is calling for a YES vote in the ballot and is calling
on all members to recruit a friend.
Ballot papers will be dispatched to members on 3 March 2008 and
the ballot will close on 21 March 2008. If a UNISON member
has not received a ballot paper, or members have lost their paper,
please contact the ballot helpline by 18 March 2008. Either phone
0131 226 0096 or email membershipteamscotland@unison.co.uk.
Evidence of UNISON membership will be required.
Also enclosed with the ballot paper will be a ‘recruit a friend’
leaflet. At a time when quality pension schemes are under attack
from employers there can be few better examples of the benefits
of UNISON membership.
Negotiations on LGPS have reached on all the outstanding issues
identified in the last update. A "Heads of Agreement"
document has now been agreed which sets out the proposed changes
to the scheme, and which will form the basis of regulations to be
set before the Scottish Parliament. Click
here to see the document in full.
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser, and one of the lead negotiators
for the Trade Unions side in the negotiations, attended the Branch
AGM to explain the new scheme. Click
here to see the AGM report.
"Pensions are probably the most important element of members'
conditions of service and these changes are the most signiificant
revision of the scheme since it was introduced," said Dave.
"It is therefore very important that all members have the opportunity
to understand the changes and I am delighted to be able to attend
Aberdeenshire's AGM."
The key elements of the new scheme are as follows:
- retained final salary scheme
- improved benefits - 60ths scheme; better death benefits and
partners' pensions; better pension protection
- fairer contribution scale with most staff, especially lower
paid members, paying less
- further work on governance and cost sharing has been agreed
UNISON Scotland is calling for a YES vote in the ballot.
Click
here for further information.
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