| Local Government Service Group Emergency Motion |
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| Friday, 02 March 2007 14:17 | |||
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Conference welcomes the proposed improvements to the Local Government Pension Scheme for England and Wales, which as a package will improve conditions for UNISON members and their families. These improvements include the retention of a sinal salary scheme, 1/60 accrual rate, a more flexible definition period for pensionable pay, improved early retirement factors, pensions for unmarried partners and increased death in service and death in retirement benefits.
Conference also welcomes the fact that the unacceptable proposals on redundancy have been withdrawn and that LGPS members made redundant or retiring on 'efficiency grounds over the age of 50 at present and after 55 from 2010 will be entitled to an unreduced pension on leaving . Negotiations have also led to restoration of the children's pension for those with no surviving parent. The new LGPS will provide improved benefits for all existing members from 1st april 2008. This achieves the Service Group's aim of avoiding a 'two tier' pension scheme for the future. overall the proposed contribution rate and future benefits compare favourably with other revised public sector pension schemes such as those for Teachers and NHS staff. However, a number of issues remain unresolved. These include the contribuation rates of part time wokers and of those on a protected 5% rate, issues around ill health retirement and protection for those formerly able to retire early on an unreduced pension under the 'Rule of 85'. Negotiations will continue on all these areas but it is acknowledged that because of the legal position, we would be most unlikely to achieve lifetime protection for the 'Rule of 85'. we should however continue to pursue an improvement in the age reduction factors to reduce the loss to members who falll outside the transitional protection. Conference notes that briefing on the proposed changes to the scheme have been held in each UNISON Region and that all Regional Service Groups covered by the LGPS have been consulted over the proposals. Briefings have also been given at other UNISON events. The response to the new scheme proposals has been generally favourable. The Trade Union Side met on 23 February and unanimously agreed that talks should continue to allow the outstanding issues concerning protection, ill health retirement, the 55 contribution rate and part timer workers contribution calculation to be resolved. In the light of the outcome of the consultation exercise and improvements secured through the ongoing negotiations, this Conference believes that: 1. Negotiations should be allowed to continue 2. An individual member ballot should be held immediately they are concluded to establish: a. Whether members wish to accept the proposals on the basis that they are the best achievable by negotiation, or b. If the proposals are not acceptable, whether members are prepared to take substantial and escalating industrial action.
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