Community Union defends steelworkers’ Pensions at TUC Congress
Community Union condemned employers for using the recession as an excuse to close final salary pension schemes at the TUC congress today. The motion calls upon the TUC to support efforts by all trade unionists to defend final salary pension schemes as the best alternative to poverty in old age.
Community Union is currently in dispute with Corus – the UK steel giant- over the future of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS), one of the largest final salary pension schemes remaining in the UK. Community Union is working to protect the 160,000 members of the BSPS, while Corus is using a depressed market for steel as justification for cuts to longstanding terms and conditions.
Community Union General Secretary Michael J. Leahy said:
“Community Union is calling upon all trade unionists to draw a line in the sand and refuse any further cuts to the safety of their retirement. Companies too often take a kneejerk reaction to dips in the market regardless of the long term stability of pension funds. It is time to put people before profits and ensure that after a lifetime of labour, people are fairly rewarded in retirement.”
Community Union delegates will be meeting in London on Thursday 17th September, to discuss Corus’ threats to the BSPS. Corus has announced plans to close the B SPS to new members and has failed to pay bonuses to workers among other issues which is causing increasing tension between the company and the trade unions. This tension culminated in the unprecedented walkout by Community Union representatives from a meeting with Corus Long Products on 3rd September to protest management’s refusal to hold open and honest discussion around proposed changes to the pension scheme.
The meeting this Thursday, bringing together up to 200 union representatives, will discuss the most appropriate course of action to force Corus to return to the bargaining table. The union is refusing to rule out industrial action at this stage.