UCU: Composite

Motion

Motion text: Congress recognises:
1. the growing threat to lecturer's pension entitlements for example in constant divisive comparisons being made in the media and by employers about the 'unsustainable' future costs of final salary schemes and the 'feather bedding' of the public sector in comparison with the private sector;
2. the well reported proposals by leading politicians and commentators to introduce reforms of public sector pensions.
Congress notes:
1. the upcoming revaluation of the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) potentially increasing members' contributions;
2. existing proposals to change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) scheme which threaten the final salary nature of the scheme.
Congress believes that:
1. pensions are deferred earnings and that an attack on pensions represents a fundamental attack on our earnings;
2. the battle to defend our pensions will become one of the key strategic areas for our union in the months and years ahead.
Congress resolves to:
1. increase members' awareness of the attacks on pension provision;
2. continue to campaign alongside public and private sector unions to defend the pension rights of workers;
3. immediately respond with a national campaign of defence of our pension entitlements, including industrial action, as soon as any proposals emerge to end the final salary scheme, re-define benefits, or detrimentally alter the pensionable age.