Council staff back mass strikes
Up to 1.5 million council staff will stage a walkout
Council workers have voted for what could be the UK's biggest industrial action since the General Strike of 1926, in protest at pension changes.
Up to 1.5 million staff will stage a walkout on 28 March following a ballot of unions representing cooks, refuse collectors, home helps and others.
The unions are angry at government plans to scrap a rule that allows some to retire on a full pension at 60.
Councils say that costs mean this must rise to 65 for all employees.
'Burning resentment'
About four-fifths of the members of eight trade unions - including Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union and the GMB - who took part in a national ballot voted for strike action. The turnout was 28%.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said the government had "destroyed the retirement plans of tens of thousands of public sector workers".
He added: "Our members do not take strike action lightly but there is a burning resentment among people who have paid into pensions week in, week out and find they are being treated differently to other public sector workers."
But Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "It is deeply disappointing that even before any decisions have been made the unions have chosen to go down the route of industrial action.
"There is no majority or mandate for strikes, and this is something the union leaders should think long and hard about. Any stoppages would affect some of the most vulnerable in our society."
The government has said the so-called Rule 85 - which lets staff retire at 60 if their age plus years worked equals 85 or above - is to be removed.
If the rule ends, all two million local government workers will work until the age of 65 by 2013.
Ministers say the rule will become illegal under new regulations aimed at outlawing age discrimination.
Sir Sandy said: "The council taxpayer simply cannot pay more. The employee staff contribution compared to the employer council tax contributions are currently not balanced and this must be addressed."
He added: "Unless action is taken in the very near future, the cost to individual council tax payers and local government because people are living longer will continue to rise."
Up to 1.5 million council staff will stage a walkout
Council workers have voted for what could be the UK's biggest industrial action since the General Strike of 1926, in protest at pension changes.
Up to 1.5 million staff will stage a walkout on 28 March following a ballot of unions representing cooks, refuse collectors, home helps and others.
The unions are angry at government plans to scrap a rule that allows some to retire on a full pension at 60.
Councils say that costs mean this must rise to 65 for all employees.
'Burning resentment'
About four-fifths of the members of eight trade unions - including Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union and the GMB - who took part in a national ballot voted for strike action. The turnout was 28%.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said the government had "destroyed the retirement plans of tens of thousands of public sector workers".
He added: "Our members do not take strike action lightly but there is a burning resentment among people who have paid into pensions week in, week out and find they are being treated differently to other public sector workers."
But Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "It is deeply disappointing that even before any decisions have been made the unions have chosen to go down the route of industrial action.
"There is no majority or mandate for strikes, and this is something the union leaders should think long and hard about. Any stoppages would affect some of the most vulnerable in our society."
The government has said the so-called Rule 85 - which lets staff retire at 60 if their age plus years worked equals 85 or above - is to be removed.
If the rule ends, all two million local government workers will work until the age of 65 by 2013.
Ministers say the rule will become illegal under new regulations aimed at outlawing age discrimination.
Sir Sandy said: "The council taxpayer simply cannot pay more. The employee staff contribution compared to the employer council tax contributions are currently not balanced and this must be addressed."
He added: "Unless action is taken in the very near future, the cost to individual council tax payers and local government because people are living longer will continue to rise."
Lazy spongeing slackers. As if anyone would notice if most of them went on strike anyway, useless tossers!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
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