Friday, August 24, 2012

UNISON members Vote by 90% to accept new LGPS!


Great news. UNISON has announced that members voted in a secret ballot by 90% to accept the new Local Government Pension Scheme 2014. Ignoring the moanie, fibbing misrabalist rejectionists who for selfish sectarian reasons wanted them to turn down a good offer to indulge in pointless strike action and the inevitable "glorious defeat". On Monday the GMB voted by 95% to accept.

While there were some who had genuine doubts about the new scheme, I would hope that everyone (apart from the miserablists who will be crying betrayal) will rally around the new scheme and encourage the shocking 25% of those eligible who haven't yet joined to join. There is still further work to be done especially around member representation and governance. The new LGPS will be a fair, affordable and sustainable model for a rebirth of private sector defined benefit pensions scheme.  In the meanwhile we should be also looking at encouraging other employers to consider joining.

This result will also encourage the union's in forthcoming campaigns since we can demonstrate that by a combination of rational argument, mobilisation and targeted collective action we can win for our members.

Update: Unite members have also voted to accept LGPS 2014 by 84%. Hat tip UNISONactive

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

do we know what the turn out in in the vote was ?

John Gray said...

Hi anon

I don't know but I suspect it will be similar to the strike ballot.

John Gray said...

turnout was 20.7% much better than some other unison ballots.

http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=8034

Anonymous said...

Hi John,

I notice that across on Jon Rogers blog there is no report of the result which is a little stange. Jon describes himself as a 'committed rejectionist' to the extent that he cannot even report the members overwheming acceptance of the deal. By way of a political comfort blanket he is summarising the entire General Council Report to the TUC! I suspect it's his version of singing at the top of your voice when you don't want to hear something.
Dave Draycott

John Gray said...

Hi Dave

Perhaps he is having a Dick Tuck moment?

:)