It is with a very sad heart that I pass on the news that Sylvia Green passed away peacefully in her sleep yesterday, Sunday 4th March.

For the few who did not know Sylvia, she was a long standing activist within the East Sussex Area, having first been a representative when the union was NALGO and throughout it’s amalgamation and formation of UNISON. she was tireless in her efforts to keep the Retired Members Section vital and important in the union movement. That section was safely transferred to Christine Osbourne when Sylvia became too ill to be at meetings, although her input remained strong and I know that Christine kept in very close contact.

We will post and circulate any details regarding her funeral that her family wish to have shared.

The Committee heard this was an issue of public interest and the e-petition ‘Public and Private Pension Increases change from RPI to CPI’ had received over 100,000 signatures. The Committee also heard that this subject was unlikely to be debated through any alternative route.

Public & Private Pension Increases – change from RPI to CPI

Responsible department: Department for Work and Pensions

Many workers in the Public and Private Sector have contributed to their pensions on the understanding that on retirement these Pensions would be increased each April by the preceding September’s Retail Price Index (RPI) rate. From April 2011 the Government has transferred these increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure which in the Treasury’s own words “…is designed to take account of the fact that consumers tend to shop around, switching to cheaper alternatives when prices of similar goods change.” This change, which has been introduced in most cases without any prior consultation, will mean a steady reduction in spending power for pensioners as they progress into their retirement. Given the promises that have previously been made, the RPI measure should be reintroduced without delay to ensure that the spending power of these Public and Private pensioners is maintained.

The new committee was elected today,thanks to all who came along  and those that voted in the elections for Deputy Branch Secretary.  thanks to Dave for his election address  and standing for the role , it was a very close call with only 4 votes in it, and as always his contribution to the discussions on motions and during the Pensions Update from Tony Jones, South East Local  Government Head of Service.

We will circulate the pensions update briefing on here and through out the membership.

Pensions Newsletter Number 14 is available at the link below – we will be inviting Tony back in the next few weeks to give us a more detailed update prior to the canvassing of views which will be conducted during March.

Pensions newsletter number 14

Unite has returned to pension reform talks in time for key decisions on a number of “big ticket” items such as the overall cost of the scheme.
Unite’s local government executive committee met last week and decided it should rejoin the talks which it abandoned following a row with ministers over the wording of a letter sent before Christmas.
Peter Allenson, Unite’s national officer for local government, said he would rejoin the negotiations “as soon as possible”, in order to be involved in the first set of important decisions.
“The committee took the view that we should be in there influencing things,” he said.
Unite withdrew from the negotiations process after a letter from communities secretary Eric Pickles appeared to place limitations on the unions and employer negotiations, including a cost limit not agreed with unions. Although the letter was immediately withdrawn, resulting in GMB and Unison returning to the negotiating process, Unite said they had lost confidence in the process and claimed the government had revealed its hidden agenda.
Negotiators for GMB, Unison and the LGA representing employers have been very keen for Unite to rejoin the talks ahead of the first set of big decisions about the new-look scheme

While I’m sure many of you would have liked to have a ballot to say what you thought of the principles on the table the SGE’s voted to give a mandate to the negotiators to continue talking to the employers on the principles put forward by the Government.

unison press release

The Branch AGM will be on Tuesday 28th February – please refer to the November Newsletter and the forthcoming newsletter for more details.

We appreciate that holding the AGM at County Hall is difficult for some people if they wished to atted but worked in Hastings and if you have any suggestions about how we could arrange things differently so that people would attend please email me.

We have arranged for Tony Jones, the South East Regional  head of Local Government to be the guest speaker – he will update up on the pensions negotiations and also the 2012/13 Pay Claim.

Paula

A timeline and set of principles that provide a positive framework for negotiations on the local government pension scheme (LGPS), is back on track, said UNISON, the UK’s largest public service union, today. The move follows the withdrawal of a letter from Secretary of State, Eric Pickles and the issuing of a new letter, which the union says provides the basis to proceed to negotiations. Following lengthy talks, the principles have been jointly agreed by the Local Government Association (LGA), UNISON and the GMB.

The framework will be subject to detailed discussions with UNISON’s senior local government members in the new year.

Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said:

“We are pleased that the agreement on principles and a timeline for more talks on the local government pensions scheme, are back on track. They have the green light from government, marking a major step forward in the dispute over public sector pensions.

“We have always argued that as the local government scheme has funds worth more than £140 billion, it should be dealt with in a different way to the other Treasury backed schemes.

“Following discussions with senior members in local government we hope to move towards detailed negotiations in 2012, where we can work out the very complex details of the new pension scheme.”

Latest LGPS Negotiator's Newsletter

BRIGHTON RALLY – Assemble: Victoria Gardens, Brighton at 11.45 for a march through the city centre and then a rally at The Level.
Guest speakers to include Caroline Lucas MP (Green) and Tony Burke- Deputy General Secretary of Unite the Union, plus others from the striking unions.

Feeder marches for the Brighton Rally as follows:

10:30am from Whitehawk Bus Garage, Hove Town Hall and Brighton University Moulsecoomb Site. These will collect other picketing workers as they make their way towards the:

MAIN MARCH WHICH FORMS UP 11:45AM VICTORIA GARDENS, GRAND PARADE

EASTBOURNE RALLY -The Unite Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne Seafront
Assemble at 10.30am by Eastbourne Bandstand; rally at the Unite Centre at 11.00am
Speakers to include: DAVE BRINSON (NUT National Executive) and speakers from the striking Unions.

HASTINGS RALLY -Hastings Rally – Pier to Town Centre

11.30am Hastings Pier. Marching to Town Centre for rally

Route: Pier – Seafront- Past town hall in Queens Road – congregate by Debenhams

Unison ESAB are co-ordinating Picket Lines in the Following Locations:

County Hall.

St Mary’s House.

St Marks House.

ESFRS HQ.

Sackville House.

Ocean House.

Sussex Downs College (Eastbourne)

7:30 – 10:30 am, all members who are striking on N30 are encouraged to attend rallies in Eastbourne, Hastings and Brighton after the picket lines have closed. 

Colleagues from from other unions will be joining us as will colleagues from other Branches who have lines organised for Conquest Hospital and EDGH. ESAB Members are encouraged to join these lines.

Exempted services have been agreed with ESCC. There were no exemption requests from other services and Employers. We will remain committed to the vulnerable in society by providing service cover at a minimum level as agreed and as conveyed to managers. Should you be  in an exempted service you can still indicate that you do not wish to be included in a rota. if you are in a service with minimum cover agreements the managers were requested to ensure that cover was sought from people not in a union and there should be no pressure on individuals who wish to take part in action to attend wotk on that day.

Staff should not cover the duties of striking colleagues.