Tory true colours
03.02.12
This week we’ve seen the Tories’ true colours emerging when it comes to our rights at work.
On Tuesday, David Cameron stood up in the House of Commons, and asked his MPs what we got in return for Britain signing up to the Social Chapter – they obediently chorused “nothing”.
It’s worth taking a moment to remember what some of the rights are that Cameron and his MPs think are worthless. The words “the Social Chapter” don’t really make clear exactly what is at stake here.
The Social Chapter was a part of the Maastricht Treaty that the last Labour Government signed up to, after the Tories had ‘opted out’ for years. It gave workers in Britain new rights at work that they hadn’t had before.
There are dozens of rights and protections at work that we have gained from Britain signing up to the Social Chapter, but these are just three of them:
1. Equal rights for part-time workers. This, for example, means the right for part-time workers to join the pension scheme, and have comparable annual leave allowances. It’s worth pointing out that the vast majority of part-time workers are women.
2. The right to take (unpaid) parental leave. Before the Social Chapter, you could be legally sacked for needing to take time off work to care for sick children, or to deal with a family emergency. One man was sacked for taking time off work to be at the birth of his child.
3. The right to be consulted and informed about redundancies and restructures at work. At a time of high unemployment, with the public sector and so many companies and organisations shedding jobs, these protections are more important than ever.
Please join us in sending a message to Cameron that these rights are not worthless – they are ours, and we are going to defend them.
View CommentsOur rights at work are not worth “nothing”
01.02.12
Yesterday, in Parliament, David Cameron made clear the contempt he has for our rights at work.
David Cameron stood up in the House of Commons, and asked his MPs what we got in return for Britain signing up to the Social Chapter – they obediently chorused “nothing”.
The Social Chapter is an EU agreement to "promote improved working conditions and an improved standard of living for workers".
It’s because of the Social Chapter that workers in part-time jobs are entitled to the same rights at work as their full-time colleagues. It’s thanks to the Social Chapter that it’s illegal to sack a parent for needing to take a day off to care for a sick child. And it’s the Social Chapter that gives workers the right to be properly consulted and informed about redundancies and restructures.
But Cameron and his MPs think these rights are worth ‘nothing’.
Will you help send a message to David Cameron that our rights matter?
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/notworthnothing
Every day that goes by, it becomes clearer that the rights we rely on are not safe in the hands of Cameron and this government.
They simply don’t understand what life is like for ordinary people who depend on legal protections to make sure they are not treated badly or unfairly at work.
Last week we launched our new campaign to defend each and every one of our rights at work – and that’s why we want you to take 2 minutes to send David Cameron an email to tell him that the Social Chapter didn’t give us ‘nothing’, it gave us our rights at work – and we’re going to fight for them.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/notworthnothing
Your rights at work are worth fighting for – together, let’s send Cameron a message.
View CommentsYour rights at work: worth fighting for
25.01.12
Today, we are launching a new campaign to defend your rights at work - and I wanted to make sure you are one of the first people to know about it.
Yesterday, a group of Conservative MPs hosted a drinks party in Parliament to unveil a campaign with just one aim - to make it harder for trade unions to speak up for you when you need them.
Yet again, David Cameron’s Tories are proving they’re on the side of big business, and not on the side of ordinary working people.
Our rights at work have been fought for and won over more than a century – and now Cameron’s government is trying to unpick those rights one by one.
But we’re not going to let the Tories turn back the clock - today, we’re starting a campaign to defend each and every one of those rights, and to make sure we have a trade union to back us up when we need them.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/worthfightingfor
And we’re starting out with a petition to protect one of the most important rights - the right to go to work without our safety being put at risk, and our lives put in danger.
This month, David Cameron declared that "this coalition has a clear new year's resolution: to kill off the health and safety culture for good".
The Conservatives want to erode the rules that stop our employers cutting corners on something as fundamental as our safety at work.
Last year 171 people were killed at work, and thousands more were injured.
That’s why today, we’re launching a petition to demand that Cameron breaks this ‘new year’s resolution’ to undermine our right to be safe at work.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/worthfightingfor
This government are showing us that we can’t take even our most basic rights for granted.
Your rights at work are worth fighting for – join our campaign today.
View Comments
Local Labour Parties are backing public sector workers on November 30
29.11.11
Dozens of constituency Labour Parties have declared their support for millions of public sector workers in their campaign for fair pensions, and are backing the day of action tomorrow (November 30th). Across the country tomorrow, Labour Party activists will be out campaigning together with local union members, to oppose this government's unfair squeeze on our public servants, and to call for fair pensions for everybody.
(If your CLP does not appear, but you have voted to support the Fair Pensions statement, you can add your name here: http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/fairpension)
Everyone deserves a fair pension, and is entitled to security and dignity in retirement.
That’s why we’re backing public sector workers in their campaign against the government’s unfair triple attack on public sector pensions, and that’s why we’re backing the day of action on November 30th.
If the government get their way, ordinary working people struggling to balance the books after a pay freeze and with the cost of living rising, will have to pay more and work longer for a pension that’s worth less. That is not a fair deal.
We want everybody to be able to pay into a fair pension for their retirement. That’s why we want a fair deal on pensions for public sector workers, why we want to see government action to make pensions better and fairer in the private sector too, and why we oppose the government’s unfair changes to the state pension age.
We’re supporting fair pensions for everybody.
Aberavon CLP
Aberdeen South CLP
Amber Valley CLP
Ashfield CLP
Ashton-under-Lyne CLP
Bermondsey & Old Southwark CLP
Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk CLP
Bethnal Green & Bow CLP
Birmingham Ladywood CLP
Birmingham Northfield CLP
Bolsover CLP
Broxtowe CLP
Brecon & Radnorshire CLP
Brent Central CLP
Bristol East CLP
Bristol West CLP
Caerphilly CLP
Camberwell & Peckham CLP
Camborne and Redruth CLP
Cambridge CLP
Cardiff West CLP
Carshalton & Wallington CLP
Central Ayrshire CLP
Chatham & Aylesford CLP
Clacton CLP
Copeland CLP
Coventry South CLP
Cynon Valley CLP
Dagenham & Rainham CLP
Dartford CLP
Daventry CLP
Devizes CLP
Dundee West CLP
Edinburgh South CLP
Eltham CLP
Erewash CLP
Gloucester CLP
Gosport CLP
Hammersmith CLP
Harlow CLP
Hayes and Harlington CLP
Hexham CLP
High Peak CLP
Huntingdon CLP
Ilford North CLP
Ilford South CLP
Inverclyde CLP
Ipswich CLP
Isle of Wight CLP
Islington North CLP
Knowsley CLP
Lancaster and Fleetwood CLP
Leeds East CLP
Lewisham West and Penge CLP
Linlithgow and East Falkirk CLP
Maidenhead CLP
Maidstone and the Weald CLP
Makerfield CLP
Manchester Central CLP
Merthyr Tydfil CLP
Middlesbrough CLP
Mid-Norfolk CLP
Neath CLP
Newark CLP
North East Derbyshire CLP
North Somerset Constituency Labour Party CLP
North West Leicestershire CLP
Orpington CLP
Pendle CLP
Penistone & Stocksbridge CLP
Peterborough CLP
Pontypridd CLP
Poplar & Limehouse CLP
Rhondda CLP
Romford CLP
Rossendale and Darwen CLP
Saffron Walden CLP
Salford and Eccles CLP
Scunthorpe CLP
Sheffield Hallam CLP
Sheffield South East CLP
Sherwood CLP
Skipton & Ripon CLP
Slough CLP
Stalybridge and Hyde CLP
Stockton North CLP
Stoke-on-Trent South CLP
Stone CLP
Streatham CLP
Stretford & Urmston CLP
Stroud CLP
Thirsk and Malton CLP
Thornbury and Yate CLP
Tonbridge and Malling CLP
Tooting CLP
Torfaen CLP
Vale of Glamorgan CLP
Wallasey CLP
Warrington North Constituency Labour Party CLP
Washington and Sunderland West CLP
Welwyn Hatfield CLP
West Suffolk CLP
Wigan Constituency Labour Party CLP
Yeovil CLP
View CommentsSend George Osborne a message: it’s time to take action on jobs
25.11.11
Last week, it was announced that unemployment has gone up again – with youth unemployment at a record high.
That day, we launched a new campaign – to tell the real stories behind the headlines, and try to make Osborne and Cameron realise how many people are suffering at a result of their failed economic gamble.
We were overwhelmed with the response. Hundreds of people got in touch to tell us about how they are being personally affected by this jobs crisis.
People like Lyn, whose husband’s job in the private sector is at risk because of this Government’s austerity drive. She said: “My husband designs electronic equipment bought by the NHS. His job is under threat because of cuts to the NHS.”
Next week, Chancellor George Osborne makes his Autumn Statement about the economic situation. We want to send him a message that it’s time to abandon his reckless gamble with the economy, and start taking action on jobs. Will you join us?
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/jobscrisis-action
We’ve put some of your jobs crisis stories on a map, so you can see the effect that this Government’s economic policies are having on real people across the country.
People like Kenneth, who works in the construction industry, and wrote to tell us that this is the first time he’s been out of work. He said: “I’ve never seen so many in the industry laid off due to cancellation of major construction projects.”
And we heard from Eileen, a secondary school teacher, who worried about what the future will hold for her pupils if the government doesn’t act to help young people find jobs: “I grieve for the students leaving education/ training who will find themselves unemployed and without hope.”
To make matters worse, this week the Government announced a package of measures to make it easier to sack people. In the midst of an unemployment crisis, their response is to help employers put people out of work.
And although the extent of this jobs crisis has forced the government to announce their youth jobs subsidy this morning, their new scheme is worth just a fraction of the Future Jobs Fund they scrapped a year ago – and it won’t even come into force until the middle of next year. This token effort is too little, too late – and it’s looking increasingly likely that they’re going to squeeze family incomes to pay for it, by freezing payments like tax credits, which help low and middle income families make ends meet.
It’s time for Osborne and Cameron to realise that their austerity programme is just not working – it’s putting people out of work. The Tories like to talk tough about paying down the deficit, but by putting tens of thousands of people on the dole - claiming benefits instead of paying taxes - their sums simply don’t add up. They're making it harder to get the deficit down.
Join us today, and call on Osborne to stop his risky economic gamble, and start taking action to tackle this jobs crisis.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/jobscrisis-action
Thanks
Helen
PS. If you are affected by this jobs crisis, add your story here: http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/jobscrisis. Or if you know someone affected, why not forward them this email and ask them to share their story too.
The jobs crisis we are facing
17.11.11
I’ve just seen the latest unemployment figures, and I wanted to make sure you’ve seen them too.
Unemployment went up again this summer. And over 1 million young people are now out of work – a record high.
Today, we’re starting a new campaign to tell the real stories of this jobs crisis. If you have lost your job, or if you are worried about the future for you or your family, we want you to speak out. Together, we have to make Cameron and Osborne realise how many lives are being ruined by the jobs crisis they have caused with their reckless gamble with the economy. Will you help us?
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/jobscrisis
I’ve got two young children, and this government’s austerity measures are hurting families like us. Food, heating and other bills just keep going up and up – making ends meet each month is hard enough, without worrying about our jobs as well.
Even more of us are worried about our young people – so many are coming out of school or college and can’t get a job. What sort of future will they have?
Cameron and Osborne are taking a reckless gamble with our economy, and with people’s lives – and the gamble’s not paying off. Their austerity measures are not only cutting the services we rely on, and the pensions that give us dignity in retirement - they’re also responsible for putting so many people out of work.
The Tories like to talk tough about paying down the deficit, but by putting tens of thousands of people on the dole - claiming benefits instead of paying taxes - their sums simply don’t add up. They're making it harder to get the deficit down, and are set to borrow billions more than they planned.
That’s why I’m asking you to share your stories today – so that together we can paint a picture of what this government’s economic gamble is doing to people across the country.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/jobscrisis
Cameron and Osborne have chosen this path – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Be part of our campaign to say no to austerity, and no to the jobs crisis.
Byron
View CommentsIn defence of the union rep
07.11.11
This article was first published on Labour List.
The end-of-day adjournment debate in the Commons is normally a calm half hour in an empty Chamber, confined to the MP who raises their chosen topic and the Minister who responds.
The other day was different. More than two dozen 2010 Tories baying behind the MP Aidan Burley as he led an all-out attack on trade unions.
Not an attack on party funding or the freedom to strike or even employment rights, all of which are in the Tories’ firing line. But an attack on the most basic and benign feature of trade union work – the day-to-day support for staff at work by their colleagues who volunteer to act as union representatives.
There are around 200,000 people who are prepared to help their work colleagues by giving advice, formally representing them in grievance and disciplinary hearings and negotiating with managers. Many also have more specialist recognised roles improving workplace health and safety, training, equality and even environmental standards. This is often demanding and difficult work.
Most union reps in both public and private sectors rightly receive paid time off to carry out these duties. But many devote a large amount of their own time too. A recent government survey found reps in the public sector contribute up to 100,000 unpaid hours of their own time each week, and TUC data shows 1 in 6 union reps say less than a quarter of the time they spend on union duties is paid by their employer.
These are the unsung heroes of Britain’s volunteering tradition. The workplace wing of the Prime Minister’s Big Society. They support their work colleagues and they save millions for employers and the Exchequer because they reduce working days lost to injury and illness, reduce employment tribunal cases, improve take-up of training and improve productivity. The CBI know this and say “Union reps constitute a major resource … we believe that modern representatives have a lot to give to their fellow employees and to the organisations that employ them”.
The ignorance on display in this debate from Tory MPs was both woeful and wilful. Detailing the work of union learning reps, Burley asked “is not all that the job of the human resources department?” before asserting that government support for learning reps means “a huge amount of money is freed up …that unions can use on political campaigns”.
But union reps were not just misunderstood, they were grotesquely misrepresented by Burley: “In simple terms, the taxpayer is directly funding those organising strikes and chaos, and also indirectly funding the Labour Party”.
In opposition the Tories used other organisations as out-riders to create public rows, and they used extreme examples to define a general problem. Some are still using these tactics in government.
This attack was based on data from the Tax Payers’ Alliance, and the work of thousands of public sector union reps was condemned by the one case of a union rep paid by the NHS who ran a private health consultancy on the side.
The past master of these tactics in opposition was Eric Pickles. He’s the present master in Government too. He has described the work of the union rep as a “non-job”. And during the debate he slipped into the chamber, standing at the side of the Speaker’s chair.
Anti-Europe and anti-unions. These new Tory MPs are playing old ‘80s political tunes. There’s a common view that such throw-back politics on Europe may cause Cameron problems within the Conservative party but real change is unlikely this side of the Election.
The attack on unions is different.
Tory MPs are demanding an end to full-time union work in the public sector, an end to any employer costs for reps and an end to the modest funds supporting union learning and modernisation. Cameron can’t – yet – concede much on Europe but he can on unions. So Tory Ministers are set to consult on cutting back paid time off for union work and ending the role of full time union rep – legal rights that have been in place for nearly 40 years.
The Tories aim to throttle trade unions at their roots in the workplace. Unions rely on a sense of solidarity and service for volunteer reps to help their work colleagues, especially with the trends towards individual representation and smaller workplaces. No union can survive if all support and services for members must be provided by full time union paid officials.
At this time of intensifying insecurity on jobs, pensions, reorganisation and workplace protections employees and employers alike need more reps not fewer; and those reps need more support not less.
This atypical adjournment debate was a wake-up call – workplace reps need wider public recognition, not political condemnation.
View CommentsPensions Bill third reading
19.10.11
I just read through the debate in Parliament yesterday on the State Pension Age. You can read it here.
Unfortunately, after all our hard work and months of campaigning, we weren’t able to win the vote in the Commons last night. Labour’s amendment to make the Bill fairer was defeated 291 votes to 244.
That means that, when the Bill becomes law, hundreds of thousands of women will have to wait up to 18 months longer for their pension. This is a small improvement on their original plan to make people wait up to 2 years longer, but it’s still massively unfair.
500,000 women should not have to pay such a punishing price towards this government’s austerity drive.
As Greg McClymont, the Labour Shadow Pensions Minister (who recently took over from Rachel Reeves) said in the debate yesterday:
“Why are these 500,000 women paying a disproportionate price? Why are they having disproportionately to carry the burden?
Our amendments, if accepted, would mean that not one of the half a million women affected by this Bill would have to wait more than an extra year for their state pension, and, importantly, that they would have at least nine years’ notice of the rise in their state pension age”
You can see how your MP voted in the debate in the list below.
I just want to say a massive thank you to all of our campaigners on the state pension age. We’ve run a hugely successful campaign, even though we weren’t able to defeat the government in Parliament yesterday.
Together, we forced David Cameron to back down on his original pensions plans (though not nearly enough), we created a real kick-back within the Coalition about the breaking of the Coalition Agreement, and we’ve helped send a message to politicians and the media that we won’t accept this government making women shoulder such an unfair burden of their cuts.
We at unions together will keep fighting against all this government’s unfair policies, and keep campaigning for fair pensions for all.
Want to know how the Pensions Bill affects you? The tables on this website show what your pension age will be (based on your birth date) after the government's small concessions: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/SpendingReview/DG_192159
How did your MP vote?
AYES (MPs who voted FOR Labour's amendment to make the Bill fairer)
Abbott, Ms Diane
Abrahams, Debbie
Ainsworth, rh Mr Bob
Alexander, rh Mr Douglas
Alexander, Heidi
Ali, Rushanara
Anderson, Mr David
Ashworth, Jonathan
Austin, Ian
Bailey, Mr Adrian
Bain, Mr William
Balls, rh Ed
Banks, Gordon
Barron, rh Mr Kevin
Bayley, Hugh
Beckett, rh Margaret
Begg, Dame Anne
Bell, Sir Stuart
Benn, rh Hilary
Berger, Luciana
Betts, Mr Clive
Blenkinsop, Tom
Blomfield, Paul
Blunkett, rh Mr David
Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben
Brennan, Kevin
Brown, rh Mr Nicholas
Brown, Mr Russell
Bryant, Chris
Buck, Ms Karen
Burden, Richard
Campbell, Mr Alan
Campbell, Mr Gregory
Campbell, Mr Ronnie
Caton, Martin
Chapman, Mrs Jenny
Coaker, Vernon
Coffey, Ann
Connarty, Michael
Cooper, Rosie
Cooper, rh Yvette
Corbyn, Jeremy
Crausby, Mr David
Creagh, Mary
Creasy, Stella
Cruddas, Jon
Cryer, John
Cunningham, Alex
Cunningham, Mr Jim
Cunningham, Tony
Curran, Margaret
Dakin, Nic
Danczuk, Simon
Darling, rh Mr Alistair
David, Mr Wayne
Davidson, Mr Ian
Davies, Geraint
De Piero, Gloria
Dobbin, Jim
Docherty, Thomas
Dodds, rh Mr Nigel
Donohoe, Mr Brian H.
Doran, Mr Frank
Dowd, Jim
Doyle, Gemma
Dromey, Jack
Dugher, Michael
Durkan, Mark
Eagle, Ms Angela
Eagle, Maria
Edwards, Jonathan
Efford, Clive
Elliott, Julie
Ellman, Mrs Louise
Engel, Natascha
Esterson, Bill
Evans, Chris
Farrelly, Paul
Field, rh Mr Frank
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flello, Robert
Flint, rh Caroline
Flynn, Paul
Fovargue, Yvonne
Francis, Dr Hywel
Gilmore, Sheila
Glass, Pat
Glindon, Mrs Mary
Godsiff, Mr Roger
Goggins, rh Paul
Goodman, Helen
Greatrex, Tom
Green, Kate
Greenwood, Lilian
Griffith, Nia
Gwynne, Andrew
Hain, rh Mr Peter
Hamilton, Mr David
Hamilton, Fabian
Hanson, rh Mr David
Harman, rh Ms Harriet
Harris, Mr Tom
Havard, Mr Dai
Healey, rh John
Hendrick, Mark
Hepburn, Mr Stephen
Heyes, David
Hillier, Meg
Hilling, Julie
Hodgson, Mrs Sharon
Hoey, Kate
Hood, Mr Jim
Hopkins, Kelvin
Hosie, Stewart
Howarth, rh Mr George
Hunt, Tristram
Irranca-Davies, Huw
Jackson, Glenda
James, Mrs Siân C.
Jamieson, Cathy
Jarvis, Dan
Johnson, Diana
Jones, Graham
Jones, Helen
Jones, Mr Kevan
Jones, Susan Elan
Jowell, rh Tessa
Joyce, Eric
Keeley, Barbara
Kendall, Liz
Khan, rh Sadiq
Lammy, rh Mr David
Lavery, Ian
Lazarowicz, Mark
Leslie, Chris
Lewis, Mr Ivan
Lloyd, Tony
Llwyd, rh Mr Elfyn
Long, Naomi
Love, Mr Andrew
Lucas, Caroline
Lucas, Ian
MacNeil, Mr Angus Brendan
MacShane, rh Mr Denis
Mactaggart, Fiona
Mahmood, Mr Khalid
Mann, John
Marsden, Mr Gordon
McCabe, Steve
McCann, Mr Michael
McCarthy, Kerry
McClymont, Gregg
McCrea, Dr William
McDonagh, Siobhain
McDonnell, John
McFadden, rh Mr Pat
McGovern, Alison
McGovern, Jim
McGuire, rh Mrs Anne
McKechin, Ann
McKenzie, Mr Iain
McKinnell, Catherine
Meacher, rh Mr Michael
Meale, Sir Alan
Mearns, Ian
Michael, rh Alun
Miliband, rh David
Miliband, rh Edward
Miller, Andrew
Morden, Jessica
Morrice, Graeme
(Livingston)
Morris, Grahame M.
(Easington)
Mudie, Mr George
Munn, Meg
Murphy, rh Mr Jim
Murphy, rh Paul
Murray, Ian
Nandy, Lisa
O'Donnell, Fiona
Onwurah, Chi
Osborne, Sandra
Paisley, Ian
Pearce, Teresa
Perkins, Toby
Pound, Stephen
Qureshi, Yasmin
Raynsford, rh Mr Nick
Reed, Mr Jamie
Reeves, Rachel
Reynolds, Jonathan
Riordan, Mrs Linda
Ritchie, Ms Margaret
Robertson, Angus
Robinson, Mr Geoffrey
Rotheram, Steve
Roy, Mr Frank
Roy, Lindsay
Ruane, Chris
Sarwar, Anas
Seabeck, Alison
Shannon, Jim
Sharma, Mr Virendra
Sheridan, Jim
Shuker, Gavin
Simpson, David
Skinner, Mr Dennis
Slaughter, Mr Andy
Smith, rh Mr Andrew
Smith, Angela
Smith, Nick
Smith, Owen
Spellar, rh Mr John
Straw, rh Mr Jack
Stringer, Graham
Stuart, Ms Gisela
Sutcliffe, Mr Gerry
Tami, Mark
Thomas, Mr Gareth
Thornberry, Emily
Timms, rh Stephen
Trickett, Jon
Turner, Karl
Twigg, Derek
Twigg, Stephen
Umunna, Mr Chuka
Vaz, Valerie
Walley, Joan
Watson, Mr Tom
Watts, Mr Dave
Weir, Mr Mike
Whiteford, Dr Eilidh
Whitehead, Dr Alan
Wicks, rh Malcolm
Williams, Hywel
Williamson, Chris
Wilson, Sammy
Winnick, Mr David
Winterton, rh Ms Rosie
Wishart, Pete
Wood, Mike
Woodcock, John
Woodward, rh Mr Shaun
Wright, David
Wright, Mr Iain
Tellers for the Ayes:
Lyn Brown and
Phil Wilson
NOES ((MPs who voted AGAINST Labour's amendment to make the Bill fairer)
Adams, Nigel
Afriyie, Adam
Amess, Mr David
Andrew, Stuart
Bacon, Mr Richard
Baker, Norman
Baker, Steve
Baldwin, Harriett
Barclay, Stephen
Bebb, Guto
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Bellingham, Mr Henry
Benyon, Richard
Beresford, Sir Paul
Berry, Jake
Bingham, Andrew
Binley, Mr Brian
Birtwistle, Gordon
Blackwood, Nicola
Blunt, Mr Crispin
Boles, Nick
Bone, Mr Peter
Bradley, Karen
Brake, rh Tom
Bray, Angie
Brazier, Mr Julian
Bridgen, Andrew
Brooke, Annette
Bruce, Fiona
Buckland, Mr Robert
Burley, Mr Aidan
Burns, Conor
Burrowes, Mr David
Burstow, Paul
Burt, Lorely
Byles, Dan
Cable, rh Vince
Cairns, Alun
Campbell, rh Sir Menzies
Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair
Carmichael, Neil
Carswell, Mr Douglas
Cash, Mr William
Chope, Mr Christopher
Clappison, Mr James
Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth
Coffey, Dr Thérèse
Collins, Damian
Colvile, Oliver
Cox, Mr Geoffrey
Crockart, Mike
Davey, Mr Edward
Davies, David T. C.
(Monmouth)
Davies, Glyn
Davies, Philip
Davis, rh Mr David
Dinenage, Caroline
Djanogly, Mr Jonathan
Dorrell, rh Mr Stephen
Dorries, Nadine
Doyle-Price, Jackie
Drax, Richard
Duddridge, James
Duncan Smith, rh Mr Iain
Dunne, Mr Philip
Ellis, Michael
Ellison, Jane
Ellwood, Mr Tobias
Elphicke, Charlie
Eustice, George
Evans, Graham
Evans, Jonathan
Evennett, Mr David
Fabricant, Michael
Fallon, Michael
Farron, Tim
Foster, rh Mr Don
Francois, rh Mr Mark
Freeman, George
Freer, Mike
Fullbrook, Lorraine
Fuller, Richard
Gale, Mr Roger
Garnier, Mark
George, Andrew
Gibb, Mr Nick
Gilbert, Stephen
Gillan, rh Mrs Cheryl
Glen, John
Goldsmith, Zac
Goodwill, Mr Robert
Gove, rh Michael
Graham, Richard
Grant, Mrs Helen
Gray, Mr James
Grayling, rh Chris
Green, Damian
Greening, Justine
Griffiths, Andrew
Gummer, Ben
Gyimah, Mr Sam
Halfon, Robert
Hames, Duncan
Hammond, rh Mr Philip
Hammond, Stephen
Hancock, Matthew
Hands, Greg
Harper, Mr Mark
Harrington, Richard
Harris, Rebecca
Hart, Simon
Haselhurst, rh Sir Alan
Hayes, Mr John
Heald, Oliver
Heath, Mr David
Heaton-Harris, Chris
Hemming, John
Henderson, Gordon
Herbert, rh Nick
Hinds, Damian
Hoban, Mr Mark
Hollingbery, George
Hollobone, Mr Philip
Holloway, Mr Adam
Hopkins, Kris
Horwood, Martin
Howell, John
Hughes, rh Simon
Huhne, rh Chris
Hunter, Mark
Huppert, Dr Julian
Jackson, Mr Stewart
James, Margot
Javid, Sajid
Jenkin, Mr Bernard
Johnson, Gareth
Jones, Andrew
Jones, Mr David
Jones, Mr Marcus
Kawczynski, Daniel
Kelly, Chris
Kirby, Simon
Knight, rh Mr Greg
Kwarteng, Kwasi
Laing, Mrs Eleanor
Lancaster, Mark
Latham, Pauline
Laws, rh Mr David
Leadsom, Andrea
Lee, Jessica
Leech, Mr John
Lefroy, Jeremy
Leigh, Mr Edward
Letwin, rh Mr Oliver
Lewis, Brandon
Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian
Lilley, rh Mr Peter
Lloyd, Stephen
Lopresti, Jack
Lord, Jonathan
Loughton, Tim
Luff, Peter
Lumley, Karen
Main, Mrs Anne
Maynard, Paul
McCartney, Jason
McCartney, Karl
McIntosh, Miss Anne
McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick
McPartland, Stephen
McVey, Esther
Mensch, Louise
Menzies, Mark
Mercer, Patrick
Metcalfe, Stephen
Miller, Maria
Mills, Nigel
Milton, Anne
Moore, rh Michael
Mordaunt, Penny
Morgan, Nicky
Morris, Anne Marie
Morris, James
Mosley, Stephen
Mowat, David
Mulholland, Greg
Munt, Tessa
Murray, Sheryll
Murrison, Dr Andrew
Neill, Robert
Newmark, Mr Brooks
Newton, Sarah
Norman, Jesse
Nuttall, Mr David
Ollerenshaw, Eric
Opperman, Guy
Ottaway, Richard
Paice, rh Mr James
Parish, Neil
Patel, Priti
Pawsey, Mark
Penning, Mike
Penrose, John
Percy, Andrew
Perry, Claire
Phillips, Stephen
Pickles, rh Mr Eric
Pincher, Christopher
Poulter, Dr Daniel
Prisk, Mr Mark
Pritchard, Mark
Raab, Mr Dominic
Randall, rh Mr John
Reckless, Mark
Redwood, rh Mr John
Rees-Mogg, Jacob
Reevell, Simon
Reid, Mr Alan
Rifkind, rh Sir Malcolm
Robathan, rh Mr Andrew
Robertson, Hugh
Robertson, Mr Laurence
Rogerson, Dan
Rosindell, Andrew
Rudd, Amber
Ruffley, Mr David
Russell, Bob
Rutley, David
Sanders, Mr Adrian
Sandys, Laura
Scott, Mr Lee
Selous, Andrew
Shapps, rh Grant
Sharma, Alok
Shelbrooke, Alec
Shepherd, Mr Richard
Simmonds, Mark
Simpson, Mr Keith
Skidmore, Chris
Smith, Miss Chloe
Smith, Henry
Soames, rh Nicholas
Soubry, Anna
Spelman, rh Mrs Caroline
Spencer, Mr Mark
Stanley, rh Sir John
Stevenson, John
Stewart, Bob
Stewart, Iain
Stewart, Rory
Streeter, Mr Gary
Stride, Mel
Stuart, Mr Graham
Stunell, Andrew
Sturdy, Julian
Swales, Ian
Swayne, rh Mr Desmond
Swinson, Jo
Swire, rh Mr Hugo
Syms, Mr Robert
Timpson, Mr Edward
Tomlinson, Justin
Turner, Mr Andrew
Tyrie, Mr Andrew
Uppal, Paul
Vara, Mr Shailesh
Vickers, Martin
Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa
Walker, Mr Charles
Walker, Mr Robin
Ward, Mr David
Watkinson, Angela
Weatherley, Mike
Webb, Steve
Wharton, James
Wheeler, Heather
White, Chris
Whittaker, Craig
Wiggin, Bill
Willetts, rh Mr David
Williams, Mr Mark
Williams, Roger
Williams, Stephen
Williamson, Gavin
Willott, Jenny
Wilson, Mr Rob
Wollaston, Dr Sarah
Wright, Jeremy
Wright, Simon
Young, rh Sir George
Zahawi, Nadhim
Tellers for the Noes:
Norman Lamb and
Stephen Crabb
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One last chance on the state pension age
17.10.11
Last week, after months of pressure from thousands of campaigners like you, David Cameron was finally forced to stop dragging his feet and come up with a last-minute change to his unfair plans on the state pension age.
Cameron’s eleventh-hour pensions plan is to cap the amount of time anyone has to wait for their state pension at 18 months. We should be proud that the campaign we’ve been fighting together all year has forced the Government to back down even a little bit.
But this small concession is simply not good enough. Hundreds of thousands of people will still have to wait longer for their pension, and will lose out on thousands of pounds of pension income. And this plan still goes back on the promise Cameron made in the Coalition Agreement.
We have one last chance to change the Pensions Bill tomorrow, and make Cameron and his Ministers back down even more. Will you email your MP one more time?
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/onelastchance
Tomorrow, the Pensions Bill will go back to the House of Commons again for the last time. Our MPs will have to choose between voting for Cameron’s plan, which will mean hundreds of thousands of women waiting 18 months longer for their pension, or voting for a fairer Labour amendment, which would mean nobody would have to wait more than a year, and which would also give everybody more notice of changes to their pension age. Labour's amendment would also make sure men and women are affected equally by the Bill.
That’s why we have to keep up the pressure now. I just spoke to Barbara Bates, aged 57, who launched our campaign back in February. She said: “the fact Cameron’s been forced to give us this concession shows how powerful our campaign has been. But this 18-month limit just isn’t good enough – I hope our MPs will listen to us and do the right thing tomorrow and either pass Labour’s amendment, or vote to stop the Bill.”
Even if you have emailed your MP before, please take 2 minutes now to send them another message to ask them to vote for the Labour amendment in the debate tomorrow.
http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/onelastchance
This is our last opportunity to make our voices heard before the Pensions Bill becomes law. Let’s make sure our MPs get the message.
Thanks
View CommentsWhere’s our 10 years’ notice?
11.08.11
The 2005 Turner Report stated: “any rise in retirement age would require 15 years notice so that the over 50’s are not affected.”
According to this article, recently published responses from industries and individuals to the DWP’s green paper on pension reforms suggest that the consensus is that people should be given 10 years notice before any pension age changes are implemented.
So where does that leave us, the ones who have been chosen to bear the brunt of the government’s decision to raise the pension age for women to 65 by 2018 and then for everyone to 66 by 2020? We aren’t being given the consideration of 15 or even 10 years notice - we are being given around 7 years to get used to the idea and the impracticalities of working an extra 2 years on top of the dates we were given as our retirement ages.
So we’re left with stark choices, those of us who are working can carry on as long as we are physically able and hope that our ageing bodies last until we finally can retire. If not, we can see our GPs and attempt to go onto sickness benefit which of course we all know is not so easy to do. We can give up jobs that we are unable to cope with and attempt to draw unemployment benefits, which of course we all know are not so accommodating these days. Or maybe we can try to save as much as we can in the hope that we will be able to finance ourselves for a few months or years and so have the relief of finishing work slightly before our retirement date, which means we are going without money we may need now to save it for a future that we might not even be privileged to live to see.
Those of us who aren’t working, maybe because we have been made redundant or have lost our jobs through no fault of our own may not have anything to spare to save towards the time before official retirement, we may be struggling to keep a roof over our heads and food in the cupboards. Those of us who have given up regular jobs to care for husbands, parents or other relatives may not have anything to spare to save towards the time before official retirement either, and carers may not have caring responsibilities right up until their own retirement which may mean carers payments being stopped, where would people such as these then find employment?
Women, and men of my age have not been prepared for the way this government has turned on us, a lot of us never had the opportunity to put money away for our retirements, we were never advised to do so, some of us took time out to raise families, some of us worked part time. Some of us came from families that needed everything that the household earned between them just to pay their way and have a few luxuries such as a week at the seaside or a small car. How many of us ever dreamed the day would come when we were asked not once but twice to accept that we would have to work on, far longer than our slightly older siblings were expected to?
Suddenly, people of my age group are being made to feel like a huge burden. There are too many of us, we’re going to live too long, if we are given our pensions we are going to be depriving younger people of their chances. And those younger people are encouraged to attack what they refer to as “Boomers” as though we’re trying to take the crusts from their mouths. Well excuse me for living, I have done my bit! I have worked hard and I have paid what I’ve been asked for. I’ve been a carer and had my allowance stopped without mercy within weeks of being widowed, I have been denied widows pension because a previous government decided it would no longer be paid and I’ve been asked, and cheerfully accepted, to work an extra 4 years for the pension that I have contributed to all my adult life and I think that’s enough bad luck caused through their date of birth for one person thanks very much!
So, come on Iain Duncan Smith and Steve Webb lets be seeing the transitional arrangements you promised us when you assured us that you understood how hard the raise in the state pension age will be for us, show us how much you really respect us for the hard work we’ve put into our lives, show us that a lifetime of working is worth more than a lifetime of bludging on benefits – we’re waiting!
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