"Bank of England cuts growth forecast and issues 5% inflation warning"
These headlines in today's papers confirm two things:
1) The Con-Dem cuts AREN'T necessary 'medicine' for the economy - they are just cutting demand and making economic recovery even less likely - just as Ireland has already demonstrated. So let's take action to stop the cuts to our pensions!
2) With prices rising, but a pay freeze imposed on teachers for September, we're already going to struggle to pay the bills. But Hutton wants us to pay 50% more on our pension contributions (to then earn less pension when we eventually reach retirement at 67 or 68) ! For me, that's another £102 a month pay cut - log on to the NUT website pensions loss calculator to see what you will lose: http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/12872
These predicted pay cuts might be even worse if the Con-Dems try to make higher-paid staff like teachers take more of a hit than other public sector workers. It's also clear that they want to introduce a 'career-average' scheme that is calculated to pay out far less to teachers than existing final-salary schemes.
That's why teachers needs to be taking strike action THIS term - while the action is still able to influence negotiations. The NASUWT's divisive decision to wait until next term to ballot will mean that they could only join in with the ATL & NUT action in October at the earliest. That's far too late.
Remember, NASUWT members who want to take action in June can join the NUT for FREE as long as they fill in a Direct Debit form for 2012 NUT membership. Growing numbers of NASUWT members have already decided to do so.
Look out for your ballot paper arriving at your home from 17 May onwards - and let's get a massive vote for strike action to defend our pensions!
No comments:
Post a Comment