30 June UCU STRIKE TO DEFEND OUR PENSIONS

On 30 June 2011, hundreds of thousands of teachers and lecturers will strike to defend their pensions.

UCU, NUT and ATL will take united strike action, together with PCS, and rallies will take place all over the country.

Make sure you get involved!

YOUR PENSION UNDER ATTACK

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme is under attack from the government which wants to plug the budget deficit by taking from UCU members’ pensions. They want us to:
• pay more into our pensions: for a typical FE lecturer this could mean an extra £88 per month. For a university lecturer it could mean an extra £124 a month
• work longer by raising the retirement age to 65
• they want to slash the value of your pension by using a lower measure of inflation – meaning a loss of £36K or more over the course of an FE lecturer’s retirement or £65K for a university lecturer
• They want to end final salary schemes and move to an massively inferior ‘career average’ pension

STUDENTS’ EDUCATION WILL SUFFER

This attack on TPS will mean that colleges and universities could lose staff to better rewarded jobs elsewhere. Many of your colleagues may consider
leaving the profession if their pensions are slashed in the way proposed.

THIS ATTACK IS UNNECESSARY

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme is not in crisis. Unions already agreed reforms in 2006 to make the scheme sustainable.

OUR PENSIONS ARE NOT ‘GOLD PLATED’

The average pension is £10,000 and these proposals could mean a 30% cut over the course of a retirement. Education staff have always accepted lower pay than comparable professions partly because we could rely on a decent and dignified retirement. Now the government wants us to pay with our pensions for an economic crisis we did
not create.

THE GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO LISTEN

After months of talks with ministers it is now clear that the government is refusing to budge on its proposals.

THAT’S WHY WE NEED TO STEP UP THE CAMPAIGN

LCA UCU at the TUC March for Alternative, London, 26th March 2011

Image below from the Independent. LCA UCU banner visible behind other UCU banners.

IfL fees

The UCU has condemned the IFL's decision to raise its fee to £68 which is as a result of the government's decision to cease paying the previous £30 membership fee. This means that most UCU members will now be paying the full, increased costs of IFL membership for the first time.

It seems extraordinary that at a time when the government is abolishing England's General Teaching Council for school teachers, further education is going in the opposite direction with the cost of regulation seemingly to be paid for lock, stock and barrel from the pockets of teaching staff. The union has written to the minister to raise this issue and seek an urgent meeting. The Further Education Committee will agree a strategy this Friday to put maximum pressure on government, employers and IfL itself to ensure the reversal of this iniquitous decision.

In the meantime please show your support by signing UCU's IfL petition and encouraging others to do the same here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/iflpetition

'A Future that Works' Manchester rally; also London march - Saturday 29 January

On Saturday 29 January UCU is joining with the TUC and the National Union of Students to host a march and rally in Manchester for 'A Future that Works'. More details here

We want every member, who is able, to take part. Leeds University UCU has booked coaches and is inviting all Leeds Education Institutions and Trade Unions to share our transport. The price is £7 (you must buy a ticket in advance). Departure: 9.00am, Parkinson Steps, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds University. Contact LCA reps for details.