GMB Health Workers Overwhelmingly Say No To The Government

22 May 2012

GMB HEALTH WORKERS OVERWHELMINGLY SAY NO TO THE GOVERNMENT

An overwhelmingly 96.5% returned a resounding ‘NO’ to Pension Reforms.  The GMB has always retained the position that the Government was premature to table an offer on pensions with many issues outstanding including the cost.

In a letter to the GMB dated 9th May 2012, Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley stated that the GMB had ‘played a constructive role in negotiations’ and recognised that the proposed increases in contributions and the proposed increase in retirement age were the reasons why the GMB was recommending a rejection of the offer. He went on to say ‘I have been very clear that I wish to protect the lower paid’ a claim on which the GMB is seeking clarity as the current offer does not offer any guarantees that this will be the case.

GMB National Officer Rehana Azam said “In the GMB we have spent the past few months in a detailed consultation with our members and have extensively outlined the pension offer so that members can decide how best to respond. The ballot closed today and it is clear the mandate voiced by the members is to reject the offer. The GMB NHS, Ambulance and Nursing Committees will now meet this week to decide the next steps. In addition the GMB will continue to meet with other Health Unions and continue to press Government to make progress on the issues outstanding.”