Press Release
From Southend Trades Union Council (Southend TUC)
- For immediate use –
Day of Action - 30th November 2011
The Southend TUC is fully supporting the Day of Action for pensions justice called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday 30th November.
We express our full solidarity with striking trade union members and call upon the Government to enter into genuine negotiations to secure the future of the public sector pension schemes.
The Southend TUC, in conjunction with the campaigning group Southend Against The Cuts, have organised a rally for union members and supporters under title ‘Unit the Resistance’ at 11.00am in the Victoria Plaza Area outside the Odeon Cinema, Southend High Street. In addition there will be a march of union members to Victoria Plaza starting from the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue at 10.45am.
Southend TUC President Rachel Heemskerk said
“The average pay of a civil servant is £22,850 about £2000 less than the private sector average. Nearly a quarter of all workers are being paid less than £7 an hour work in the public sector. Public sector pay has been frozen when inflation has soared to 5%. The effect of inflation and the proposed increase in pension contributions represent a major pay cut for public sector workers.”
Ian Pope, Southend TUC Secretary added
“The Government has sought to set public sector workers against their counterparts in the private sector on the issue of pension funding. Private sector pensions are one of the greatest scandals of our age. Only 40% of private sector workers are currently in an employer-sponsored pension scheme. The Government should not be seeking to drag down the pensions of public sector workers, but to raise those of private sector workers.”
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