£660m nuclear industry pension cuts ‘a point blank betrayal’
8 Jan 2017
The GMB, Unite, Prospect and ASLEF/TSSA unions are meeting on Monday (9 January) to discuss strike action because of proposed cuts to nuclear workers’ pensions.
Around 16,000 employees working for the likes of Sellafield and Magnox would be affected if the proposed £660 million cuts go ahead.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is starting a process of statutory consultation about cuts to final salary pension benefits across the NDA estate, running from 9 January until 10 March.
Kevin Coyne, Unite national officer, criticised the NDA, saying: “It is blatantly clear that the NDA is the stalking horse for the government, [which is] hell-bent in saving £660 million over the period of decommissioning. This assault on our members’ pensions is made all the more sour by the fact that the scheme is not in deficit.
“The NDA is the monkey to the government’s organ grinder in this sordid and unnecessary sleight of hand.”
Justin Bowden, GMB national secretary for the nuclear sector, added that the move was “a point blank betrayal” of the promises made by Margaret Thatcher to nuclear communities when the electricity industry was privatised in the 1990s.
Unions warned that its members would be prepared to take industrial action if the cuts go ahead.
Readers' Comments
Um! Friends of the Conservative Party make off with hundreds of millions - ordinary workers lose out (putting it politely). If you believe Mrs May's assurance that this country is to be run for every-one, you will believe anything!
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