Unison conference backs strike action over pensions

The overwhelming mood among Unison members for strike action on pensions was driven home at the Scottish local government Unison conference on Friday 2nd September. A resolution from the Glasgow City Unison branch was overwhelmingly passed which called on the union at a UK level to “move towards industrial action, starting with a one day strike in the Autumn as part of an ongoing, co-ordinated campaign to deliver sustained and effective action.”

 By a margin of 4:1 the 120 delegates representing 32 Scottish local government branches passed the motion. Significantly, the Scottish local government executive unanimously recommended support, reflecting the enormous pressure that’s building up from below in Unison.
 
This motion will now be sent to Unison at a UK level demanding a strike ballot for coordinated strike action across all the services Unison organises and in cooperation with the other public sector unions. A Unison pensions “summit” is due to take place in late September. This should be a council of war to declare the union’s intention to call an immediate UK-wide strike ballot. Other regions of Unison should also be demanding immediate action on the pensions front and for this to be coordinated with other public sector unions.    
 
Following the overwhelming success of the 30th June strike action involving the PCS across the UK and teaching unions in England, Unison members demanded to know why their union was not involved. With similar action being planned for the autumn by EIS in Scotland there will be similar calls on the Unison leadership to lead a fight. 
 
With the PCS and a number of other unions discussing a new round of coordinated strike action in November, the prospect of the Unison national leadership postponing yet again to take part in what could be a multi-million strong strike to defend pensions is too much for many Unison members.
 
The attack on pensions has the potential to be the catalyst for a one-day strike across the whole public sector, as a first step, to stop these attacks. UNISON estimate that the proposed levy of 3.2% on public sector pensions, which goes straight back to the UK Treasury, is at least £240M until 2014 for the Scottish “pay as you go” schemes such as the NHS Pension Scheme. The pension levy hit to the Scottish Local Government Pensions Scheme will be included in the numbers currently being discussed in the UK LGPS talks. This blatant robbery must be met with the full mobilisation of all public sector workers without delay.
 
Negotiations with the government and employers can only be aided by a clear demonstration by the trade unions that they intend to take effective strike action unless these attacks are stopped.  
 
The changes to the retirement age and accrual rates/benefits are part of the Hutton Report but are certain to mean further bad news in coming months.
 
The Con-Dem government can be stopped in its tracks on pensions provided the full power of the movement is used. The Scottish local government Unison vote shows there is an overwhelming mood to fight. What is needed is a leadership in Unison that can match-up to the mood of membership.