More than 200 Glasgow University support
staff held a vigorous and noisy
protest outside a meeting of the University Court yesterday.
They were demonstrating in protest at
proposals to close their pension scheme. Members of UNISON and UNITE are angry
that the University proposes to offer a much worse pension scheme to the lowest paid
admin, security and cleaning staff, while the professors continue to enjoy all
their benefits.
The University Court
was meeting to consider proposals from senior management which have not yet
been formally put to the trade unions. These include an effective pay cut of 1.5% as members of the University of Glasgow Pension Scheme would find their contribution going up by 1.5% to 7.5% of their salary.
New staff or existing staff who have not signed up would have a "hugely inferior" Contribution Scheme instead of the Final Salary scheme. And the University would only contribute 10% compared to the 16% it currently contributes to the USS, the pension scheme for staff on Level 6 and above.
Staff demonstrated
outside the windows of the Court meeting with banners, flags, loud vuvuzelas and car
horns and they were accompanied by a piper as they marched through the cloistered
quadrangle of the main university building.
The unions will meet
management on Friday 21 June and will take views of members on a way forward in the
next few weeks.
.
Pensions are such an important part of everyones lives so it is important that there are suitable pension schemes available.
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