Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Economics, government & businessLatest NewsEmployee relationsIndustrial action / strikesTrade unions

TUC Conference update: Unions predict major industrial action over pensions

by Kat Baker 15 Sep 2009
by Kat Baker 15 Sep 2009

Unions have threatened strike action ‘on a scale never seen before’ against employers who cut their workers’ pension schemes.

Speaking at the TUC annual conference in Liverpool, private and public sector unions united to warn employers and the government that “economically illiterate” cuts to pension schemes would be met by intense industrial action and would slow economic recovery.

The TUC called for a campaign to promote defined benefit pension schemes – holding public sector schemes up as the model of best practice – and for unions to counter employers’ attempt to use the recession as an excuse to cut pension provisions, while offering support to those forced into industrial action to defend their pensions.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union told the Congress: “We have fought a long and hard fight for pension rights and now they are under attack. We are not willing to see the clock turned back and we will fight to defend our pension rights if that’s what is required.

“We will fight to defend pensions in the private and public sectors and we will build a movement of the like which they have never seen.”

Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary at the civil service union PCS, added pensions would “be a battleground in the future” and unions must act as they did in 2005 when they used the threat of a 24-hour strike to secure the public sector pensions agreement.

He said: “In 2005 we showed we could do it if we worked together. When we balloted for industrial action ministers listened and we can do that again. So let’s prepare, let’s organise and make it clear that we will take action if it’s necessary.”

Meanwhile Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, said the government’s pension policy was akin to a “limbo-dancing strategy” and its short-term outlook would damage recovery.

He said: “We are on the edge of disaster on pension provision in this country. In a word to Gordon Brown do not go down the short-term route of following Cameron in attacking workers’ pension schemes in private or public sectors. Those cutbacks will damage any recovery.”

Research by the Association of Accounting Actuaries found 87% of defined pension schemes have now been closed to new members, while 18% have been closed entirely.

Employers including IBM, RBS and Fujitsu are already facing potential strike action from the union Unite over changes to their final salary pension schemes.

Avatar
Kat Baker

previous post
Working past normal retirement age
next post
Legal dilemma: employee claiming sickness absence is not ill

You may also like

Law protecting frontline workers against violence takes effect

28 Jun 2022

Postal workers and doctors threaten strikes over pay

28 Jun 2022

Heathrow-based cabin crew set for 18% pay rise

28 Jun 2022

Attracting diverse young talent to the ‘secret’ world...

28 Jun 2022

Four-day week: what are the legal considerations for...

28 Jun 2022

Hire quality vs speed: Finding the perfect balance...

28 Jun 2022

Gender pay gap ‘won’t close until 2151’

27 Jun 2022

Third of employees living ‘payday to payday’

27 Jun 2022

PwC to award inflation-busting pay increase

27 Jun 2022

Barristers walk out in protest over fees

27 Jun 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+