UNISON workers ballot for strike action

UNISON members across North Somerset are to be balloted on whether to take strike action to protest against plans to public sector pensions.

More than 1.1 million members of UNISON, the UK's largest union, some of whom live in North Somerset, will be taking part in the biggest industrial action ballot in UK history, starting this week.

The union is urging members to vote for strike action following months of talks in which ministers have refused to budge from the hard line stance to make public sectors work longer, pay more and get less when they retire.

UNISON has 2,368 members in North Somerset and if the strikes get the go ahead council run services - such as home care and library services-  could be badly affected.

North Somerset Unison spokeswoman, Helen Thornton, said: "We are urging all our members to vote yes in the ballot for industrial action.

"Local council and healthcare workers do their jobs so they can care for the public.

"These include cleaning streets, caring for the elderly and vulnerable people and keeping children safe.

"They know what these services mean to their local community - they do not take the decision to strike lightly.

"But they have been left with little choice.

"The pension plans are just another way of making public sector workers pay for the recession.

"It is a tax on low paid workers and on top of heavy losses and a pay freeze at a time of high inflation, it's pushing them too far.

"We do not want to harm the public and we know that we can count on their support.

"We will be asking them to join our campaign for decent pensions for all workers - public and private sector."

The average pension in local government is £4,000. Dropping to just £2,800 for women - less than £56 a week.

In health the average pension is £7,500 - higher because it includes doctors and consultants, but for women it is still around £3,000.

UNISON chiefs say the schemes are not in crisis and the health scheme takes in £2 billion more every year that it pays out.

This money goes straight to the Treasury and will plough £10 billion into the coffers over the next 10 years.

The local government scheme has funds worth £160 billion and UNISON chiefs claim it could pay out all its pensions for the next 20 years without extra contributions.

Health and council workers already pay between six and eight per cent of their salary into their pension.

North Somerset Council said it had contingency plans in place to deal with the impact of strike action.

Council spokeswoman, Zoe Briffitt, said: "Members have not been balloted yet so we do not know whether they will chose to strike or not.

"If staff do go ahead with strike action we will do all we can to maintain services however this may be in a reduced capacity."