Unions not ready to sign off on public sector pensions
Government celebrations over the prospective resolution of the civil service pensions row would be ''a tad premature,'' the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) has told The Courier.
The large turnout in Dundee City Square for the public sector strike in November.
- By Maura Bowman
- Published in the Courier : 21.12.11
- Published online : 21.12.11 @ 01.46pm
The trade union body's Kevin Buchanan was speaking after Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander told Westminster that most public sector unions had agreed a deal in principle to end the pensions wrangle.
The row led to a public sector strike last month over the bid to make workers pay more and work longer for what unions said would in many cases be worse pensions.
One of the hold-outs to the deal is the largest civil service union, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), whose general secretary Mark Serwotka warned of more industrial action to come.
He said that the government's ''unacceptable bullying'' will not deter the union's members from standing up for what is right, and denied the PCS had walked away from talks.
Mr Serwotka said the Cabinet Office had unilaterally announced the PCS would no longer be invited to negotiations over pensions, though the union believes the government has a legal obligation to involve it.
In Scotland, the pensions of many public sector workers are administered by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, an executive agency of the Scottish Government. However, the decisions made across the UK are likely to determine the outcome in Scotland, too.
Although the Scottish pension schemes are devolved, the UK Government has retained the power of veto and the Scottish Government is restricted by the grant allocation from Westminster.
''The Scottish Government doesn't have a completely free hand about what it can do with the pension schemes, but until it makes its intentions clear no one can give a definitive answer as to what will happen,'' said Mr Buchanan.
''It won't do that now because it will be waiting to see the fine details of the agreements being reached. We just don't know at the moment.''
He continued: ''I think there is an air of cautious optimism, though it is premature to talk of a deal being done.''
Even those unions that have come to an agreement in principle will still have to put the plan to their members for approval, he said.
Scotland's largest teaching union called for the Holyrood government to end the pensions uncertainty and to make clear its position and plans for the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme (STSS).
Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), said: ''The EIS is aware that significant discussions are taking place between the Westminster Government and the general secretaries of the English and Welsh teachers' unions on potential changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme (England and Wales).
''However, we are very concerned at the complete failure of the Scottish Government so far to engage with unions in Scotland in similar talks regarding the STSS.''
Mr Smith added: ''While we understand that the UK Treasury will have a significant say in what is finally decided for Scotland's teachers and lecturers, it is time for the Scottish Government to face up to its responsibilities and clarify its intentions for the STSS rather than continuing the deafening silence that has been the order of the day up to this point.''
01.56pm - 21.12.2011 Fred Up! - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
When will this bashing of Public sector end? It wasn't public sector that screwed up the UK or World economy, that was down to bad banking and slack Government, not general public sector workers.
06.34pm - 21.12.2011 Get Real - Gosport, United Kingdom Report This
Its not a case of p/sector bashing. People have woken up to the fact that the taxpayer is subsidising these leeches. If they want a bigger pension, then pay more in from their wage, work longer, or get another job. This has been boiling for much longer than bad banking etc. Sack them if they strike.
08.21am - 22.12.2011 The Realist - Dundee, UK Report This
The public sector is suffering from being looked at closely as a result of the current economic climate. This scrutiny should have happened a long time ago and and the wasters and unsutainable pensions weeded out then. This is just a wake up to the real world for many in the public sector.
08.46am - 22.12.2011 Real World - Dundee, Scotland Report This
@Get Real,p/sector workers dont want a BIGGER pension, they only want the pension that they have been paying into for years,remember public sector workers are tax payers too and they actually work for a living not sponging off the tax payer claiming benefits, they are the leeches!!!!!!!!!!
08.54am - 23.12.2011 Eyes Open - Dundee, Scotland Report This
The public sector has been overstaffed, under worked and over pensioned for decades now. Their stuck in the 70's unions are unwilling to accept the current financial reality already experienced by the private sector which is why they had the recent useless one day strike
12.25pm - 23.12.2011 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Public Sector pensions currently pay £bns more into the exchequer than is paid out. It is profitable for the country. Private pensions cost the "taxpayer" £37bn in tax relief. It is a drain on the country. Some people need to wake up to the fact public sector pensions ARE NOT the problem.
11.23pm - 23.12.2011 Scott Ewan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Stuart, this oft-peddled myth of yours conveniently avoids the unpleasant truth that the liabilities of the scheme outweigh any future revenue streams. Many of the public sector have protected pay for jobs they don't even do anymore, a 'turn up when you fancy' attitude, and chronic underemployment
09.46am - 24.12.2011 G Brown - Fife, Scotland Report This
Public sector pensions can never be 'profitable' when the money to fund them comes from the taxpayer in the first place.
02.02pm - 26.12.2011 Under valued front line worker - Dundee, Scotland Report This
As a public sector worker you take the job you do knowing that you are paid less than the private sector but are given the benefit of a fair pension. All I want is to get what I agreed to when I started my job, as it's in my contract.
08.31pm - 27.12.2011 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Scott, "liabilities of the scheme outweigh any future revenue streams" ... oh right, use a financial buzz phrase and hope it explains away a £2bn/yr surplus in the NHS pension scheme. Bottom line, public sector pensions ARE NOT the problem ... shenanigans by major corps and the financial sector ARE.
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