Workers poised to strike (From Western Telegraph)

Workers poised to strike

Local government workers throughout the county are poised for strike action on Tuesday if the Government does not relent in its refusal to protect their pensions.

There are more than 2,000 UNISON members in Pembrokeshire, working in the county council, National Park Authority, Pembrokeshire College and the minor authorities. Nationally, more than 80% have voted in favour of strike action.

The Joint Union Strike Team (JUST) says that over a million public sector workers belonging to nine of the biggest unions nationwide have voted an overwhelming 'yes'.

The protest is against the Government's aim to get rid of a rule which protects employees, which will mean Local Government pension Scheme (LGPS) members will have to keep working to 65, despite having paid 6% of their salaries into the pension scheme and planning for retirement for many years.

Said UNISON general secretary, Dave Prentis: "By refusing to pay out on the LGPS, especially when they have given protection to every other government pension scheme, the Government has destroyed the retirement plans of tens of thousands of public sector workers.

"These essential workers have had enough of being told they're to blame for council tax increases, when LGPS pensions cost just 2.7 pence in the council tax pound."

The employers, Local Government Association (LGA), chairman Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, expressed disappointment that even before any decisions had been made, the unions had chosen industrial action.

"There is no majority or mandate for strikes," he claimed, adding that stoppages would affect some of the most vulnerable in society and cause council taxes to continue to rise.