CWU members protest over pensions changes
30th June 2011
Postal executive president
Jane Loftus and her deputy Pete
Donaghy (pictured with fellow protestors) handed in a
giant postcard to Royal Mail Group pensions trustees'
headquarters today in protest at changes to benefits
calculations.
People who joined the scheme before 1987 will have their future payments calculated in accordance with the consumer price index (CPI), which averages some 1 to 1.5 per cent below the retail price index (RPI).
A campaign urging the trustees to retain the RPI criteria has been gathering support from thousands of postal workers at hundreds of workplaces around the country and the CWU is determined that the voice of the workers is heard.
Speaking at the central London protest, London divisional rep Martin Walsh said that he was not surprised by the strength of feeling around the subject, which is, he insisted "a massive issue for our members."
Trustees have, Martin continued "told us they've got no choice about these changes, but we're saying there is an alternative.
"They could have delayed the change, put the issue out to consultation and, subject to that, they could then have legally stayed with the RPI system," he explained.
There are ongoing discussions taking place involving the CWU, the trustees, the Government's Postal Affairs Minister Ed Davey and Royal Mail and the union is determined to continue to press its case against the change.
