demonstrate the strength of feeling that there is on the coalitions austerity measures.

Dear All,

 

Some of you may not be aware that the TUC has organised a March and Rally in London on the 20th October 2012  to demonstrate the strength of feeling that there is on the coalitions austerity measures. 

 

We need to make them hear us loud and clear, when we tell them that their cruel thoughtless tactics and lies are simply not working! we need to let them know that we don't believe them when they say we all in this together, when it's plain to see that to-date all they have achieved is allow the rich to get richer and its plain to see that more and more people are falling below the poverty line, the longer we allow them to plough on, the worse things will become for people like you and I.

 

We hear stories of children going to school not having had any breakfast, wearing ill fitting shoes because their parents can't afford new ones, we hear stories of disabled people who clearly are unable to work,  being forced on to job seekers allowance, reducing their benefit to such a level that they barely survive, the housing problems are getting worse for people, Housing benefit cuts are pushing people out of their cities because rents are too expensive. What ever they can attack to make life even more unbearable for those who already struggle, they will!!

 

We see reductions in government grants to our local authorities putting pressure on not only our service users but also those individuals that deliver those services, threats of job losses. We also face a fifth year without a pay rise, on a daily basis I see people frightened, stressed out worrying about when is it their time to be made redundant, what's going to happen next year, or the year after that, employment laws are changing to make it easier for employees to be sacked, terms and conditions are being slashed to save our services, jobs etc.

 

 

If you agree with any of the above we would love you to join us in London on the 20th, we have two coaches booked for us and the county, The

Departure Points

Beaumont Street / Ashmolean Museum 8:00 am

Headington Shops / London Road Bus Stop 8:15 am

Thornhill Park & Ride 8:25 am

 

If you would like to go then please can you email me asap.

 

In Solidarity 

 

Caroline Glendinning, Branch Secretary

Oxford City Branch, The Old Police Cells, Oxford Town Hall, St. Aldates

Oxford, OX1 1BX

 

01865 252522

07795 332563

AUTO-ENROLMENT into your pension schemes

From October 2012, employers will start to automatically enrol all staff into a “qualifying workplace pension scheme”.  This is being done incrementally, with the biggest employers affected first.  UNISON has produced a briefing at www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/14625.docx which explains what this involves, so please read it.  Publicity material and bargaining and organising guidance will be produced shortly, and the government has also started a publicity campaign.

Pensions auto-enrolment provides branches with a massive opportunity for recruitment and organising, especially in sectors where many workers are not in a scheme.  

                                         

The “at a glance” key points are as follows:

·         All employees paying income tax and aged between 22 and State Pension Age are affected.

·         From the 1 October 2012 the very largest employers will have to ensure that eligible staff are automatically enrolled into a qualifying workplace pension scheme

·         By February 2018 all employers should be operating pensions auto-enrolment  

·         Most forms of defined benefit pension schemes are qualifying schemes – as long as they are open to new recruits.  This includes the LGPS and NHSPS

·         Employers using a defined contribution pension scheme must pay “minimum contributions” - 1% for employers rising to 3% from October 2018.  Employees initially pay 1%, rising to least 5% (effectively 4% with tax relief applied) from October 2018

·         Staff will still be able to opt-out of the pension scheme should they wish to

·         Employers will have to automatically re-enrol eligible staff into a qualifying pension scheme at 3 yearly intervals

·         The Local Government and NHS Pension Schemes will remain the default qualifying schemes for staff potentially eligible to join them

·         Employers must register their qualifying schemes with the Pensions Regulator and inform staff of pensions auto-enrolment.  They must not encourage staff to opt-out or discriminate against staff who join a scheme (or those who decide not to).

SERTUC "Ending the Low Pay Culture" seminar

SERTUC "Ending the Low Pay Culture" seminar Congress House Saturday 3 November 10am to 1pm. Register on sertucevents@tuc.org.uk

• Chair Tony Lennon BECTU & SERTUC Vice-President

• Speakers

o   Duncan Weldon TUC Senior Economist

o   Helen Kersley New Economics Foundation

o   Heather Wakefield Unison Head of Local Government

o   Enrico Tortolano PCS Research Officer

o   Andrew Murray Unite Chief of Staff

• Closing Remarks Megan Dobney SERTUC Regional Secretary

SERTUC Regional Council at Congress House speaker Frances O'Grady TUC general secretary designate10am Saturday 27 October. All trade unionists welcome but registration essential: Darren Lewis dlewis@tuc.org.uk