Next steps to defend decent pensions
Pensions Justice Day of Action: November 30
Under the auspices of the TUC, unions held an urgent meeting immediately following Congress, to discuss the negotiations with the government and consider the next steps to defend decent pensions for millions of public services workers as part of the campaign for decent pensions for all.
The TUC and unions are committed to continuing talks with the government, and with the relevant employers in each of the separate major public service pension schemes. The meeting also agreed, however, given the failure of the government to engage properly in the negotiations, to step up the campaign and to hold a first day of action on Wednesday 30 November.
It is a matter for unions to determine what action they wish to take but a number have already indicated that they intend to take industrial action or to ballot for industrial action on that day.
North West Unions
A meeting of North West Unions was convened by the NW TUC on the 4 October to discuss what assistance the TUC could give and what activity the unions would wish to see both in the run up to the day and on the day itself. The remainder of this note sets out the conclusions of that meeting.
Run up to the Day
For a number of unions immediate focus was to organize and deliver strong yes votes in the industrial action ballots, for those who already have ballot mandates they are concentrating on mobilising their members. The TUC nationally will be producing guidance that unions may use in terms of getting out the vote and organising issues.
There will also be some updated 'myth busting' materials and unions would greatly appreciate assistance in getting key messages across to the wider public. It has to be recognised that this mobilisation involves a large number of industrial disputes with individual employers and it is those unions who are in dispute that will drive the day of action and we will need to ensure that we are consistent in our campaigning and key messages.
We need to exploit any opportunities we can to promote the key arguments and the arguments in favour of the action. The unions are looking to the wider movement to assist in three particular ways:
Contact as wide a range of community and interest groups as possible to get them to disseminate the key messages to their members and communities
Monitor the local media and be prepared to respond with letters and alert the unions to contact regarding misinformation and myths
Organise a series of Action Saturdays to leaflet to centres and other venues - 29 October or 5 November and 19 November are suggested days.
Trade Councils are particularly well placed to take a lead in many of these actions.
The Day of Action
Unions are proposing a common template for activity, to facilitate a clear focus, first, on picketing and effective action and second a co-ordinated show of strength around the region.
Unions advise that mornings should be reserved for picketing and delivering the action and are not looking to promote any other public activity at that time.
From lunchtime onward, however, it will be important to have short marches and rallies that provide an opportunity for a public show of strength. The balance has to be struck between activities in the widest possible number of locations to demonstrate the breadth of support, whilst at the same time ensuring that activity is not so localised as to produce low turnouts that do not appear to be shows of strength.
Following on from these considerations unions agreed that they would wish to take responsibility for rallies in the following locations:
Blackburn/East Lancs
Blackpool
Bolton
Chester
Crewe
Lancaster
Liverpool and or Wirral
Manchester and or Salford
Oldham
Preston
Warrington
Wigan
To give a coherent theme to activity it was agreed to call for 'make a noise at one' - with a call for a minutes applause, cheering etc at 1.00pm on the day, that could either mark the start or end of a rally or march with the details to be determined locally. It was also expected that there would be a common format, with speakers being drawn from those members on strike.
Unions are providing a lead officer for each location who would liaise with the other unions in respect of resources etc and would make contact quickly with the relevant Trades Council Secretary to discuss the support that the trades council would be able to give.
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