FIGHTING FOR PENSION RIGHTS!

RMTnews :: may 2006 :: www.rmt.org.uk 8 Notice for a strike ballot was given as rail workers lobbied MPs at Westminster for government action to facilitate industry- wide talks. Balloting will commence from May 17, with results expected early June. Rail unions RMT, TSSA, ASLEF and CSEU are seeking assurances that the Railway Pensions Scheme remains open to all employees, capping employee contributions to a reasonable level, maintaining benefits and streamlining the over 100 sections created by the fragmentation of privatisation. Agreement must be reached before unacceptably high employee-contribution increases are triggered by default on July 1. The industry now faces the prospect of the most comprehensive stoppage since the general strike 80 years ago. “The employers have failed to give us the assurances we have been seeking to avert the pensions crisis, so we will be balloting our members for strike action,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow told the packed rally in the House of Commons. He warned that young people entering the industry faced handing over 20 per cent of their wages in pension contributions at a time of soaring housing and other costs. “They will have virtually no disposable income and more and more people will drop out just to survive,” he said. TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty said that sitting back and watching the collapse of the scheme was not an option, and his members had made it clear that they are prepared to strike to ensure they don't face poverty in retirement. “We're lobbying parliament because the government bears ultimate responsibility for the current mess in the railways pension scheme and it is they who hold the key to sorting it out,” said ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman. “We asked Alistair Darling months ago to help get the employers around the table but got no response – maybe his successor, Douglas Alexander, will act more urgently to head off the crisis,” said CSEU railways officer Bob Rixham. Labour MPs attended the rally to offer their support and RMT parliamentary group chair John McDonnell MP spoke of a Tens of thousands of rail workers are being balloted for strike action after employers refused to avert a pensions crisis FIGHTING FOR PENSION RIGHTS!