Unions respond to government’s pension offer

The Public Sector Liaison Group (PSLG) have released the following statement in response to proposals made by the government to the TUC negotiating team on public sector pensions:

“At the meeting earlier today (2 November), Danny Alexander and Francis Maude outlined a number of new proposals to the TUC negotiating team, including an improvement in the proposed accrual rates within the major public service schemes compared to their previous position, and new proposed transitional protections for those closest to retirement. They also indicated a long term commitment to any agreed reforms not being re-opened within the next twenty five years.

PSLG welcomed this movement in the government’s position which has come as a direct result of the strength of feeling and determination shown by public sector workers and the groundswell of support for the TUC’s day of action at the end of this month. These proposals, and their detailed implications for the pensions offer within each scheme, will now need to be considered in detail within the sector specific negotiations, alongside all the other issues including proposed contribution increases, increases in the pension age, and the impact of the indexation change from the RPI to CPI on which the government’s position remains unchanged.

All the unions have indicated throughout this process their determination to reach a negotiated settlement on all these issues. That remains the position and the unions will engage intensively in the coming weeks. But unless and until further real progress is made and acceptable offers are made within those negotiations, unions remain firmly committed to continuing their preparations for the planned Day of Action on November 30.

A further meeting of the PSLG will be held in November to consider reports on any progress made within the sector talks.”