Pensions
Pensions - the fight goes on
A poster to download publicising this email action has been sent out.
The Public Service Pensions Bill is currently in Parliament. The government's proposed reforms to the Teachers' Pension Scheme, together with changes already implemented mean that, for teachers, quality of life in work and in retirement are set to worsen significantly. The Public Service Pensions Bill will enable those proposed reforms to be made. The NUT and NASUWT are encouraging members to email their MP to let them know how they feel about it.
Pensions Campaign – Joint Declaration with NASUWT
The Pensions Campaign has entered a new phase with the joint declaration between the NUT and NASUWT to act together to protect teachers and defend education.
Our campaign will involve joint political lobbying, public campaigns, research and negotiation.
The NUT and NASUWT have asked for an urgent meeting with Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, to discuss pensions, pay, workload, funding and conditions of service.
Should the Government refuse to negotiate sensible arrangements which protect teachers and defend education, our intention is to escalate industrial action, including jointly co-ordinated strike action and action short of a strike in the autumn.
Click here to go to the Protect Teachers campaigns page.
NUT Briefing on Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Proposed Agreement – September 2012
Click here for an NUT briefing on the proposals for the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme and briefing materials from the Local Government Association, Unison, Unite and the GMB.68 is too late
The NUT is working with PCS and Unite on the 68 is too late campaign to oppose the increase in the state pension age to 68, and the threat that the Government will move it even higher.
Go to www.68istoolate.org.uk now to sign the petition and find out more about the joint union campaign.
See the NUT press release hereConference votes to reject Government pension proposals
NUT Conference over Easter endorsed the Executive’s decision to reject the Government’s proposed ‘final agreement’ on pensions.
The NUT will not accept that teachers should work until they are 68, pay 50 per cent more for their pensions and get less in retirement.
The vast majority of teachers’ unions have rejected these proposals. The NUT stands ready to work with these and other public sector unions to defeat the Government’s plans.
Click here to read the conference press release on the pensions campaign.
Work until at least 74
An article in the Guardian on Saturday 24 March suggests that a child born today would have to work until they are 74 at the earliest for a state pension.
Joint e-petition on pensions
As part of the campaign in defence of our pensions the NUT and NASUWT have set up an e-petition on HM Government's website. The petition calls on the Government to enter into genuine negotiations with us about the Teachers' Pension Scheme. If we are to get the negotiated settlement we are working flat out to achieve, the Government must accept that further discussions and additional funding from the Treasury are needed.
Please support the petition. It only takes a minute or two to sign up here.
If the petition attracts over 100,000 signatures there should be a debate in Parliament about it, where the Minister would have to come and explain the Government's actions. So once you've signed please share the petition link as widely as possible.
National Union of Teachers – Pensions Update
The NUT has condemned the Government's announcement on Thursday 9 March that it has ended negotiations with the unions on its proposals on public sector pensions.
Despite some concessions brought about because of strike action the Government's position on teachers' pensions remains unchanged. The Government still wants to make teachers pay more, work longer and get less.
Click here to view the full details of the proposals that the Government intends to impose and click here to read an NUT briefing on the ‘Heads of Agreement’.
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Update – March 2012
This March 2012 update details the current state of the LGPS negotiations and gives the updated contribution bands for 2012-13.
LGPS Joint Union Newsletter
This LGPS joint union newsletter sets out the current position for the Local Government Pension Scheme following discussions during December.
Remember – the Government's new proposals give you thousands less not thousands more
The Government gave an example of a teacher retiring on £37,000 getting a pension of £25,000 under its proposals, compared to £19,100 under the current scheme. This is disingenuous. What it didn’t say is that teachers would have to work to 68 for a pension of £25,200 under the proposed scheme, compared with 60 for the pension of £19,100 under the current scheme. This is not a like for like comparison and the Government knows it.
In actual fact, that teacher retiring at age 60 under the new arrangements would receive a pension of £13,800 – a loss of £5,300 per year compared with the £19,100 pension under the current scheme.
The Government still wants every teacher to pay more and to get less in retirement. It still wants to make every teacher more than 10 years from their current pension age work longer for a full pension as well. Click here for the full truth.
Technical note: Comparison of payments into and from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme
This note accompanies the NUT's calculations on payments into and from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) since its establishment in 1923.
Say No to the Government's unfair pension contribution increases
Click here to find out how much your pension contributions will rise per year.
Read more here.
Pensions loss calculator
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The NUT calculator - updated to reflect the most recent Government proposals - gives you an estimate of what the Government's proposed pension changes will cost you, both between now and your retirement and after you retire.
Fair Pensions for All - sign our petition to the Prime Minister
We are campaigning for Fair Pensions for All - for workers in the private and public sectors and pensioners too. Please add your name to the petition below to the Prime Minister.
Please fill in the form here to sign the petition.
Alternatively, you can download the petition here (English copy - Welsh copy) and circulate it to your colleagues, parents and friends
Pension strike action resources
Click here to view information and images from our successful first days of strike action.
Students: Stand up for your future
As a student, you shouldn’t have to worry about your retirement. But the Government’s plans for public sector pensions threaten you, when you enter the profession, with paying more for your pension, working longer and getting less in retirement. Join the NUTs campaign to protect your pensions. Download the 'Stand Up for Your Future' leaflet here.
E-mail your MP here.
