The government’s “final offer” is no improvement. There is no extra money on offer. The government still wants public sector workers to work 
longer, pay more and get less. They haven’t moved on core issues:
* Fifty percent rise in pension contributions.
* Normal pension age to rise to the state retirement age. Retirement at 68 for those 34 and under.
* Pensions indexed at CPI instead of RPI. A cut for all existing pensioners.
We agree with those union general secretaries who are against accepting this offer. We ask all union general secretaries, if it was right to strike against these proposals on November 30th how it can be right to accept them now? Ordinary trade union members have demonstrated their determination to resist these unfair and unnecessary changes; we call on our trade union leaders reject the Government’s bullying tactics and reject their unacceptable offer.
Alex Kenny NUT Executive member (Inner London)
Andrew Baisley Camden NUT branch secretary
Dave Harvey NUT Executive member (Outer London)
Martin Powell-Davis NUT Executive member (Inner London)
Mark Campbell UCU Executive member
Liz Lawrence UCU Executive member
Sean Vernell UCU Executive member
Loraine Monk UCU Executive member
Christine Vie UCU Executive member
David Armstrong UCU Executive member
Guy Stoate UCU Executive member
Sign the statement here: http://bit.ly/sVyIla
View the signatories here: http://bit.ly/rJ8SGJ
Thomas Maltby said:
solidarity.
TUC / UNISON / Green Party
16 December 2011 at 5:57pmMelissa McDonnell said:
Make the changes and i’ll leave nursing along with many other good nuses.
16 December 2011 at 6:15pmMrs Carol Milner said:
The government is not negotiating with us, it is trying gto blackmail us andv set the general public against us. Hopefully the general public will not be so easily deceived, though the Tories among them might b e.
16 December 2011 at 8:56pmPeter Royle said:
The fight to protect fair affordable pensions must continue
16 December 2011 at 9:32pmMichael Bosman said:
The change to our pensions is clearly designed with the sole desire to boost the wealthy’s wealth by diminsihing public services for poorer and worse private company involvement
16 December 2011 at 9:41pmhannah said:
I agree with those union general secretaries who are against accepting this offer.Don’t give up….
16 December 2011 at 11:32pmWendy Greenhalgh said:
There is room to meet and talk, but the negotiation – end goal -has to be that the govt drop their plans to make public servants pay for the deficit they did not create or contribute to
17 December 2011 at 2:29amDavid D'Silva-Collins said:
Dear MP’s when you agree to the same pension arrangements so will we. After all ‘We’re all in this together’ Too much to ask isn’t it.
17 December 2011 at 9:58amMike Parsons said:
I shall pull out of the Pension scheme rather than have my money go to pay off the deficit,they can whistle for it.
17 December 2011 at 12:12pmJames Kelly said:
Keep fighting and we will win!
17 December 2011 at 3:31pmMAXINE366 said:
STOP PAYING IN THE PENSIONS. IF EVERY ONE STOPS THEY WILL HAVE TO DO SOME THING. AND STOP ROBBING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TO SUPPORT THE BANKS AND THE MP LIFESTYLES
17 December 2011 at 5:11pmarthur jordan said:
Don’t give up your pension fight this government and the greedy bankers public service workers should not be paying for their greed
17 December 2011 at 6:04pmGary Davies said:
No surrender!!
18 December 2011 at 10:08amAnn Whitehurst said:
These so called ‘union leaders’ should realise who pays for their large salaries & pensions – they serve not lead to make their own tory decisions. All who believe in equality & socialism are ashamed of them. If they want to be tories, okay but get out of the lucrative jobs the working class pay for. See how welcome you’ll be with the tory rich then.
18 December 2011 at 1:28pmgary dow said:
The government plans to divide and conquer the unions and workers with separate pensions offers.
Together we are stonger and can beat the con-dem criminals in power.
18 December 2011 at 3:10pmcinaed said:
Don’t give up your pension fight. Dont let the thieves steal the workrs pensions. All trade unions should amalgumate as one in order and contest this government and the greedy bankers. Workers should not be paying for their greed end of story workers unite
18 December 2011 at 3:34pmGed Dempsey said:
The fat cats, business club and bankers who caused this mess are still raking it in
Don’t give up your fight for fairness & dignity
In solidarity
Ged Dempsey, Unite GPM – Printworker
18 December 2011 at 5:47pmWendy Greenhalgh said:
If Brendan Barber or Dave Prentis make a move to sell us out, I will personally campaign to have both of them removed from their posts.
18 December 2011 at 11:52pmDavid Forman said:
The pensions fight has shown workers that they have strength when they act collectively. On 30th November many of those on strike did so for the first time.
This challenge to authority made them receptive to the idea of changing the basis of how society is organised. This factor acccounts for how easy it was for me to distribute the Peoples Charter leaflet at the Chelmsford march and rally. I managed to hand out nearly 300 leaflets.
The strike has also greatly boosted union membership by the thousands. How many of them will still be members in 3 months time if a stitch-up occurs on the 19th at Congress House
19 December 2011 at 12:24amDavid Forman said:
This dispute has raised political awareness amongst workers by them challenging the authority of the state. It has allowed many workers who once felt powerless to feel their collective strength.
The solidarity across trades and around the country has shown what workers organising for themselves can achieve. They have become politicised, which has opened their mind to the possibilities of rweorganizing society in the interests of workers.
I saw this on the Chelmsford march and rally on 30 Nov, where I handed out hundred of Peoples Charter leaflets. As I explained what The Peoples Charter was, people were asking for them.
Don’t let the optimism of the 30th be squandered on a dirty backroom deal.
David Forman, Secretary Harlow TUC
19 December 2011 at 12:35amneale williams said:
The Tories have escalated the battle: we need to do the same – not surrender to threats and blackmail. The unions should immediately name the day for another strike in January that is at least as big as 30 November. Union leaders should be doing everything they can to take the fight to the government.
19 December 2011 at 8:58amNathan Jordan NUT said:
We’ve just had one of the biggest strikes ever and these so called leaders want to give in to a weak and nasty Tory Govt. If they’re not ready for a fight we the rank and file are.
19 December 2011 at 12:58pmAnne Rees said:
It is not reasonable for the government to expect people who have given up on other benefits in their employment to have to lose benefits in pensions. The rights of all employees to a decent retirement are being threatened here and we need to remain strong.
19 December 2011 at 1:30pmMIKE CHEW said:
If we cave in now, only worse will come our way. Everything that trade unions have achieved over the last 100+ years will be taken away, to make the rich even richer and the poor even poorer. Do not think about your self but consider the ripple down affect on future workers lives and families.
19 December 2011 at 11:50pmStuart Blackburn said:
sisters and brothers I am prepared to fight this until the end I hope you are with me, united we stand.
20 December 2011 at 2:24pmIan McIver said:
Seems the deal offers minor consessions for people retiring in the forthcoming years. Are we fighting for a principle for all or just making things a bit better for a few and accepting (even thought the cost of public pensions if reducing in the long term) decimated pensions for the majority.
20 December 2011 at 9:34pmLouis Bayman said:
Don’t give up on the right to a proper pension.
20 December 2011 at 11:25pmAdam Marks said:
Are you able to work ’til you’re 68? Do you have a day’s wages to pay for Bankers in Need? Are you able to get by on £4,000 a year in retirement?
No…? Well then…
The strikes should stay on.
21 December 2011 at 10:50amallan muller said:
Will Mr Cameron be retireing at 68? doubt it this torry government is showing it’s true colours take from the poor and give to rich shareholders they are scum
21 December 2011 at 11:42amElisa Fiaccadori said:
The crisis is structural. Austerity measures are nonsense. They will deepen the crisis, are unfair and target the wrong people. Solidarity to all people – those who are working and those who are not – who are fighting against those cuts.
21 December 2011 at 9:31pmFrancesco Boromello said:
Yea – what a great idea: work more, longer and for less even though jobs are scarce and unemployment is rising. I think it’s time to rethink in what kind of system we want to live. Politicians should listen to us – the majority of people. Democracy in the sense of ‘Power to the People’ is the type of democracy I believe in!
21 December 2011 at 9:37pmIan R said:
Why do people keep blaming the bankers? The reason we are in this mess is because of successive governments spending spending spending. Giving 100billion of public money is bad I admit that but continually employing more and more people into the public sector when we are currently over spending by 17billion a month is just ridiculous.
Ok perhaps the cuts are a bit over the top when it comes to pensions I can’t deny that – but people in the private sector are putting up with the cuts without the option of having strikes that we in the majority have to put up with. Why should I be paying my taxes for people who want a day off work? Ok that’s unfair you need to stick by what you believe in – but please what is it with the welfare state – get that sorted asap, might make it a fairer ground for all us workers if they did.
3 January 2012 at 4:53pmdavid chew said:
Support the cause!, don’t give in now, our fathers and theres, fought for OUR rights ,for our children s rights ,don’t give in NOW.
5 January 2012 at 1:39am