Health workers vote on pensions changes

Members of the FBU firefighters' union have voted by a large majority (78% to 22%) to take strike action over the imposition of pension changes including higher contributions and a later pension age. The union has consistently argued against increasing the pension age from 55 to 60 for active firefighters and provided substantial evidence to support the claim. It is also concerned that proposed increases in contribution rates will lead to many firefighters opting out of the scheme. The union had been involved with negotiations with the government over changes to the scheme but was then

The trade union movement, including the CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CGC-CFE, are maintaining their unified opposition to the government’s pensions reforms. They are now building for protest and strike action on 6 June ahead of 8 June when a draft bill to abolish the reforms will be voted on in the National Assembly. The unions reaffirmed their determination to get the reforms withdrawn following bilateral meetings with the government. They have also set up a website to make it easier for people to write to their MPs to get them to support the vote on the 8th.

Civil servants are being balloted over the introduction of a new pension scheme. Existing pension scheme members can retain their current arrangements including the right to retire at 60. New starters will have 65 as normal pension age and a pension scheme based on career average salary rather than final salary. However, pension entitlement will build up more quickly each year. There will also be a new right to work and draw pension at the same time. The leadership of the PCS union is recommending acceptance of the new arrangements. [Read more at > PCS (EN)->http://www.pcs.org.uk/Templates