Unlike RM, others can listen and negotiate

[Broxi51]

Council staff accept new pension

The majority of council workers voted for the new scheme
Members of Scotland's largest local government union have voted in favour of a new pension scheme.

Unison members who are in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) voted to accept proposals for a new scheme put forward by the Scottish Government.

The new scheme retains its final salary element, and improves the rate of members' pensions. It also means that the lower paid will end up paying less.

The turnout was just 25% but more than 95% of those voted in favour.

NEW PENSION SCHEME
Retention of a normal retirement age of 65 but with flexibility to work fewer hours over 65 while taking part of pension
Employee contributions increased to an average of 6.3% but tiered so lower paid staff pay less
The new LGPS will mirror other schemes in providing 1/60th of final salary for each year in service
Lump sum death in service grants increase from two to three times final pay
Cohabiting partners now able to receive benefits

The LGPS in Scotland covers more than 220,000 working staff across a large variety of employers.

Unison members voted by 25,008 to 1,121 to accept the new scheme, which will be introduced across Scotland in April 2009.

The details were negotiated between the trade unions, the employers and the Scottish Government.

Mike Kirby, Unison's Scottish convener, said: "We welcome this comprehensive vote of confidence in the new scheme that Unison has been instrumental in delivering.

"It is clear from the improvements that have been achieved, that it is possible to maintain, and improve a decent final salary scheme, which is fair to both employers and employees, provides a decent level of pension and is sustainable in overall cost.

"It is an object lesson to those directors in the private sector who shout about the need to cut staff pensions whilst maintaining their own gold-plated pensions, that with fair contributions from both employees and employers, it is still possible to offer decent pension options.

"Pensions that can be an incentive to attract the valuable staff required to deliver quality public services."

[dvbuk55]

Yes I can see where this post is heading BUT we shouldn't forget that it isn't Scotland who funds the Pension Scheme it is Westminster and therefore ultimately US, consequently whereas our pension scheme has been curtailed by RM at Westminster's behest, the same paymaster is funding an increased pension for someone else.

[Broxi51]

Yes I can see where this post is heading BUT we shouldn't forget that it isn't Scotland who funds the Pension Scheme it is Westminster and therefore ultimately US, consequently whereas our pension scheme has been curtailed by RM at Westminster's behest, the same paymaster is funding an increased pension for someone else.

It wasn't meant as a Scottish/English thing. It was meant to show that the pension crisis needn't be our way against their way. There can be a middle ground if both sides pursued it but that is me dreaming again. It was also to show AL that you can get progress without battering the workforce into submission but thats another dream.
I am Scottish but the pension crisis is a UK problem and needs to be met head first against the thieves new pension robbery scheme.

[dvbuk55]

Yes I can see where this post is heading BUT we shouldn't forget that it isn't Scotland who funds the Pension Scheme it is Westminster and therefore ultimately US, consequently whereas our pension scheme has been curtailed by RM at Westminster's behest, the same paymaster is funding an increased pension for someone else.

It wasn't meant as a Scottish/English thing. It was meant to show that the pension crisis needn't be our way against their way. There can be a middle ground if both sides pursued it but that is me dreaming again. It was also to show AL that you can get progress without battering the workforce into submission but thats another dream.
I am Scottish but the pension crisis is a UK problem and needs to be met head first against the thieves new pension robbery scheme.

It is not meant as a critical view of pensions but of how the Scottish Parliament is funded from Westminster and much like Northern Rock there is always money for someone else but never any for those providing the wealth in the first place.

[Night Tonic]

Well apart from the fact local authorities provide services and we've been a business for a long while, and we also have this massive deficit, there are some similarities