UNISON members vote to accept changes

UNISON members vote to accept changes to Local Government Pension Scheme

I am writing to you because UNISON members across England and Wales have voted 90.2% in favour of accepting the proposed changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

We led the negotiations, which resulted in proposals to maintain the current contribution levels for 90% of LGPS members, introduce a 50/50 'low cost' scheme for the low paid, and move from a final salary to a career average scheme.

I want to thank you for the hard work you have put in throughout the negotiations. Together we've managed to ensure that current LGPS members can afford to stay in the scheme and those who could not afford to join it can now do so via the 50/50 option.

This is vital for many of our members whose earnings have gone down as a result of the coalition's pay freeze policies. Contributions are now on a fairer progressive basis.

We will continue to campaign with all of the union, through the TUC, against the proposals to increase the state retirement age.

UNISON will now move into the next stage of discussions on improving the governance of the new scheme which is due to come into effect in 2014.


Yours sincerely

New UNISON discount shopping service

UNISON membership services has introduced two new discount shopping services. 

The new UNISON Rewards programme offers online shopping discounts and cashback and the new Prepaid Plus card offers in -store discounts and cashback

UNISON Rewards leaflet (Acrobat pdf)

UNISON Prepaid Plus leaflet (Acrobat pdf)

LGPS 2014 - Negotiations completed: time to have your say

UNISON are pleased to tell you that after months of tough negotiations, the proposals for the LGPS from 2014 have been signed off by ministers for consultation.
UNISON will now start briefing regions, branches and members to let you know exactly what is being proposed from 2014, so that you can have your say.
The other LGPS unions and the Local Government Association will do the same.
You can find a UNISON leaflet and detailed factsheets about every aspect of LGPS 2014 proposals on the pensions section of the UNISON website here.
You will see that there is no change until 2014, 90% of members will pay the same contributions as now and some will pay less.

• Part-time workers' contributions will be based on actual pay, not full-time equivalent earnings.
• The scheme is a career average (revalued earnings), or Care, scheme with a 1/49 accrual rate and revaluations indexed to CPI inflation.
• The normal pension age will be 65 as now, linked to the state pension age.
• Anyone transferred to an outside contractor under TUPE will have the right to join the LGPS.
• There is also robust protection for existing members. Find out more in the factsheets.
• We will be holding meeting soon, please visit this web site regular to find when and where

UNISON will be consulting you about the proposals in a postal ballot.