Many UNISON members in the NHS will be wondering where we are in the campaign to defend our pensions. Many of us went on strike at the end of November and then heard at the end of December that UNISON negotiators had signed an agreement that put further action on hold pending further negotiations. Some unions who joined the national strike on Nov 30 did not sign the agreement. These unions are now preparing to strike again on March 28th on the grounds that the main factors leading to the strike on Nov 30 remain unchanged.
Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch members have debated the issue on two occasions. In January an emergency branch meeting agreed that the government still intended to force the majority of public sector workers to pay more contributions, work longer, and get less pension, and that these major issues had led to the strike and remained unchanged. The meeting unanimously isntructed the South East regional delegate to the Health Service group to communicate the branch's disatisfaction with the lack of progress and to signal that we wanted the UNISON Health Service group executive to support further joint union action in defence of public sector pensions.
The Branch Annual General Meeting endorsed this position. However this position was not accepted by the Health Service group Executive who voted instead to ballot UNISON members in the NHS to ask them if they wish to continue with the campaign to defend our pensions. This ballot will probably take place in March.
All indications from branch meetings is to maintain the course of action started on Nov 30. The latest minor concessions from the government and the areas still open to negotiation can be seen on the branch website. A form has been set up for branch members to leave comments about further strike action. Branch members are invited to leave comments on the the form on the website to let us know what they think.
The government has made some concessions on their original plan for our pensions. When discussed in the branch they were regarded as divisive, encoluraging older workers to vote for a worse deal for younger workers.
The basics we voted to strike over have not changed for the majority - we will still be expected to pay more - work longer and get less.
Public sector workers are still expected to make huge sacrifices to bail out the banking system. At the same time bankers continue to reap billions of pounds in bonuses. Please use the linlk on the front page to leave your comments about whether we should continue the action.
Below is the detail to the latest agreement:
Branch members who have been on strike in defense of pensions and are facing hardship can apply for support from the branch Inustiral Action Hardship Fund.
The funds are limited so we urge members to apply in cases of genuine hardship and ask all members who did not strike as rostered off or on leave to make substantial donations to the hardship fund.
Staff-side have been approached regarding changes to our pay protection, at the moment we receive up to five years pay protection in the event that we have been subject to organisational change, this is to protect us financially if there are not enough jobs vacant at our substantive band and we end up being slotted into a lower band.
