EPSU has sent a letter to the Croatian president expressing its support for the SLSN state and local government trade union which is concerned about draft legislation on pensions and retirement age in the public sector. The legislation will mean that the government can terminate contracts when civil servants reach 65 or 35 years of qualifying service. The union is worried that the government will use the new rules to force women to retire as part of a strategy to cut 12000 jobs from the civil service. In its letter EPSU highlights the importance of gender equality and particularly the impact that the measures might have on increasing what it is already a large gender pensions gap.
Union challenges government over pensions changes
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Unions mount legal challenge to pensions change
Seven trade unions with members in the public sector have launched a legal challenge to the government’s decision to change the way that public sector pensions are protected against inflation. The change from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was introduced without consultation or negotiation last year and the unions estimate that the difference in the two indices mean that public sector workers could lose £15000 (€17700) over the course of an average period of retirement as their pensions will be uprated by lower amounts. [Read more at > PCS (EN)->http://www.pcs
Unions consult over local government pension changes
Local government unions have until 28 February 2007 to respond to the latest government proposals on changing the local government pension scheme. Earlier attempts by the government to cut back on early retirement provision for municipal workers was resisted by the unions with a one-day national strike and threat of further industrial action. UNISON has responded to the new proposals by saying there are positive elements but further negotiations are required over implementing the changes and the planned changes to ill-health early retirement. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www.unison.org
Unions protest over pension changes
Unions from all sectors joined a national demonstration in Zagreb on 20 October in protest against changes to the pensions system, including an increase in pension age to 67. Unions are calling for a pension age of 65 and to retain rules on early retirement including the possibility of retiring at 60 with 41 years of contributions. EPSU sent a message of solidarity.