Following the Autumn statement, UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union, is calling on the Chancellor to stop the unjust attack on public sector workers and their families. The union said that plans to impose a £3.6 billion tax on public sector workers’ pensions, and to hold down pay for another two years, would not only bring misery to millions of families - it will put the brakes on economic growth. The union also criticised plans to bring forward the raise in retirement age as unworkable and unfair.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“Our recovery is as non existent as the Chancellor’s apparent understanding of economics. Growth has stalled, and experts are predicting the double dip will hit. What will it take for the government to realise Plan A is failing?
“We desperately need to get Britain spending. A bad situation will only be made worse by imposing a £3.6billion tax on public sector pensions, by holding down public sector pay, and by throwing hundreds of thousands of public service workers onto the dole. It’s time to drop the public sector pensions tax, and take steps to put money back into peoples pockets. This will boost growth and get Britain hiring – as it is, the private sector is in no position to dig the country out of trouble.
“Not only is austerity hitting growth – the way it is being applied means unfairness is growing. The government’s cuts and austerity agenda is hitting women, the young, and making those who are less able to pay plug the deficit. Meanwhile it is still billions in bonuses for bankers. This is only storing up trouble for the future.”
UNISON is preparing for the largest strike in a generation tomorrow (30 November) – as its 1.1 million members in public sector schemes working in the NHS, in local government, further education, higher education, school support, police staff, PCSOs, in water, energy and transport and in the community and voluntary sector, will join 30 other unions in the biggest industrial action in a generation over government ministers’ plans to make damaging changes to pensions.
From UNISON UK Press Releases
.
No comments:
Post a Comment