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Why we are balloting. The Government has decided you should pay more, work longer and get less during your retirement Pensions are deferred pay – so this is another pay cut We saw off threats to our pensions in 2005-06 by being prepared to take action
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Why we are balloting • The Government has decided you should pay more, work longer and get less during your retirement • Pensions are deferred pay – so this is another pay cut • We saw off threats to our pensions in 2005-06 by being prepared to take action • Vote YES in the ballot and get other members to vote YES if you want a decent pension
Why ballot now? • To change the Government’s mind before they impose further changes to our pensions • They aren’t negotiating in good faith: • Change from RPI to CPI indexation already made • They want to finalise the 50 per cent rise in contributions by June • They want to break our 2006 agreement on how our pensions would be reviewed in future • Delaying now means no action starting until November when it might be too late!
Why the ballot will have an effect • The Union has made a reasoned case to the Government – it’s vital that the Government now sees our strength of feeling • ATL has also agreed to ballot members for strike action and UCU has already held a successful ballot • Our action can be joint action involving the vast majority of teachers - we are not alone!
Pay more • The Government wants to increase your contributions by more than half - from 6.4 per cent to as much as 9.8 per cent • The effect of an increase to 9.8 per cent: • up to £61 per month for NQ teachers • up to £102 per month for UPS3 teachers • Possibility of tiered contributions – higher paid teachers might have to pay even more
Work longer • Linking pension age to State pension age: • The pension you accrue in future would only be available in full at State pension age • Under 34? Work till 68 for a full pension • Aged 34 to 42? Work till 67 • Aged 43 to 57? Work till 66 • Effect of pension age increasing to 66: • If you’re 50 and on UPS3 and you still retire at 60, you’d lose £1,300 a year from pension and £4,000 from lump sum
Get less • Change from RPI to CPI indexation - already imposed from April 2011: • Costs a teacher on the average £10,000 pension more than £35,000 over a 25-year retirement • Proposed move to “career average” not “final salary”: • Pension based on pay across whole career • Career average has been used to cut pensions in the private sector
What will I lose? • Use the NUT pensions calculator at www.teachers.org.uk/pensions to see: • How much you’ll lose from your take home pay • How long you’ll have to work for your full pension • How much you’ll lose from your pension if you nevertheless retire at the current pension age • How much you’ll lose in total, over a 25 year retirement, due to the cut in your pension and the switch from RPI to CPI indexation
What we want • The NUT is calling for the Government to do the following: • Withdraw the RPI/CPI switch already imposed • Withdraw its proposals to increase contributions and pension ages • Carry out the valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (a year overdue) on the same basis as it has been carried out previously • Honour the 2006 agreement and use it to discuss and decide changes if any are needed • A successful ballot will strengthen our hand in our negotiations
What you can do • Arrange or attend workplace meetings – open to all - to discuss the issues • Promote the NUT pensions calculator at www.teachers.org.uk/pensions to see the impact of the changes – can be used in workplace meetings! • Recruit any non union members to the NUT using the free membership offer • Call the NUT ballot hotline if you don’t receive your ballot paper – tell your colleagues about it too • Work with ATL reps and members • Help build Union activity to ensure biggest possible YES vote in the ballot and successful strike action