Hutton - Pensions & Pay Intrinsically Linked

Conference notes the recommendations of the Lord Hutton’s Final Report on Public Service Pensions released on 10th March 2011. Conference recognises the attack this report recommends on our members pensions. We also recognise our pensions are our life-long pay and that the pensions we eventually receive are intrinsically linked to our pay whilst in work. Lord Hutton’s final report has implications for every FBU member whether working retained, wholetime, officer or in control. Contained within the Hutton report are recommendations for our members to pay increased pension contributions which will need to be found and afforded from our members pay packets. It has always been the case our pensions and pay are intrinsically linked. Hutton also recommends our future pensions should be based on the average salaries our members earn whilst working. If the Hutton recommendation concerning average salaries is introduced, this will mean the current pay freeze is already adversely affecting our future pensions. Conference also recognises the pay freeze is already affecting the final salary pensions received by our members who have recently retired or who may retire before we achieve our next pay rise. Conference calls upon the Executive Council to remind our employers, the Government AND DEVOLVED ADMINISTRATIONS that our members’ pay has already been frozen for 22 months since our last negotiated “CATCH-UP” pay rise in July 2009. Conference further calls on the Executive Council, Regional Committees, Sectional Committees and all Brigade Committees to initiate and support a membership campaign drawing attention to the Hutton recommendations and highlighting the fact that our pensions and our pay are intrinsically linked. The campaign should be aimed at building support to oppose any detrimental changes to our pension schemes and for achieving appropriate levels of professional pay befitting our members’ contribution to public service. The campaign should be clear that, if necessary, we shall call on all FBU members to support and carry-out industrial action up to and including national strike action in pursuit of these fundamental aims.