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On the
26th of October a coach load of teachers from Derbyshire and
Derby City went to lobby their on the issue. Here are the
thoughts of a number of the attendees
Andy Parker
Roger
Smith
Fiona Came
Dave Kirby
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Dear Colleagues,
I returned from
Westminster yesterday after a most productive visit. My
scheduled meeting with Andrew Bingham MP was expanded to
include other pension lobbyists from the High Peak and Amber
Valley constituencies together with their MP, Nigel Mills.
Both MPs listened
carefully whilst we put forward our concerns. John Holmes,
the Derbyshire NUT Secretary and National Executive Member
lead the presentation. They questioned us on one or two
points but were receptive in most cases. When I returned
to the issue about the lack of a review of the existing,
recently revised, system, Andrew Bingham
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admitted that he had
not been aware of that discrepancy. We talked for a good half
an hour, at which point the committee room was required for
another meeting. They agreed to write to Danny Alexander and
enquire why the triennial TPS pension review had not been
undertaken. They would send us a copy of the letter and any
reply that was forthcoming.
Andrew Bingham then invited
his constituents (myself and two teachers from
Chapel-en-le-Frith Primary School) to take tea with him in one
of the Commons tea rooms. Overlooking the Thames, we then
chatted for about an hour about education in general and his
work as an MP. The conversation returned to the pensions issue
on several occasions. His general view is that the discrepancy
between private and public sector pensions is largely a result
of the changes made by Gordon Brown in 1997 and that both
cases need a thorough review. He spoke of the dangers of
treating different public sector schemes differently – a point
that I found disturbing.
My colleagues from
Chapel-en-le-Frith spoke of their concerns about continuing to
teach beyond the age of 60 and the possible danger to health.
He agreed but saw no alternative, as life expectancy continues
to increase, other than we should spend a greater time working
before we retire. I raised the point that if such an
arrangement went ahead, then schools would have to ensure that
they managed their older staff in such a way that does not
incur health problems. This might have cost implications which
further changes to the pension scheme would exacerbate.
(Present Phased Retirement options in the scheme allow older
teachers to reduce their working hours without huge financial
penalty.)
On our way out of the
Palace of Westminster we passed an extremely busy lobby area
as colleagues from all over the country spoke to their MPs.
Andrew Bingham commented on this and the considerable queue
that was still outside waiting their turn.
I think it was a very
successful day and I sincerely hope that it will provoke some
movement in the negotiations that might avert the planned
strike at the end of next month. If the strike is not well
supported it will confirm to the Government that opposition to
their proposed changes is lukewarm and they will press ahead.
Please feel free to
approach me if you want to know more of the visit or wish to
discuss these issues further.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Parker
School Pensions Lobby
Representative
My
First Lobby
Apologies to all about
waiting so long before I made it to Lobby a MP at Parliament.
But hopefully it was a successful one mainly due to the
excellent contributions from Barbara, Jim, Dan and daughter,
Laura and my minder, Lee (aka Mr Godfrey).
It is a bewildering
experience at first to attend Parliament buildings, together
with 6,000+ other campaigners. The security is rigid and the
screening discovered both my knife (small Swiss type) and Mr
Godfrey’s hip flask.
We had agreed/been
volunteered to meet the Conservative MP for Erewash – Ms
Jessica Lee – the vague connection being that the Long Eaton
School resides in her constituency. The place was awash with
the great, the good and “The Lords” and certainly its evident
formality and customs echo “an eighteenth century boarding
school”.
However Ms Lee has
excellent PR, she met, greeted and found a corner for us to
talk. She also listened and acknowledged she wasn’t
conversant with all the facts especially the lack of recent
triennial review. Our desire for openness and transparency on
the funding of pensions she supported and she promised to
“write and ask questions” , a reply also being promised.
As a Conservative she
obviously begged to differ on the affordability of our present
pension scheme but that was never going to happen.
Perhaps our master stroke
was having a sixth former with us (Laura) who spoke
pessimistically of the thoughts of entering teaching in the
future.
THE CAREER MUST BE
ATTRACTIVE TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS we cried! Point taken
replied Ms Lees. We smiled, she smiled, we thanked each other
and retired to the Parliamentary Guest Snackery! Victory?
Draw? – but not a defeat.
So to all out there – if
you ever get the chance DO IT! – one of the essential 1000
things to do in life. There was room for another 30 on the
bus – lets all share the load.
Roger Smith
Making a
Difference
After a day of my half term
holiday sacrificed to take part in the mass lobby of MPs in
London, I feel tired, better informed and pleased.
I’m pleased to have met new
colleagues from the wider education sector join together and
argue the case to protect the profession’s pensions. United
we truly were. – There was only the single insignia of the
stickers and armbands of the movement of “Decent Pensions for
all” - no separate union paraphernalia was allowed. The
feeling of acting as “one” was very powerful.
I feel better informed by
taking part in this opportunity. Never having set foot inside
the Houses of Parliament before, I was honoured that the
purpose of my visit included representing the 48 teachers from
Littleover Community School who had signed the petition and to
put the case forward to Chris Williamson MP in whose
constituency our school is located.
Writing this on the journey
back, I feel tired but more optimistic than on the outward
journey, that the action taken today does make a difference.
The more people that can be encouraged to take part in events
like these, the greater difference we CAN make.
So to all out there – if you
ever get the chance DO IT! – one of the essential 1000 things
to do in life. There was room for another 30 on the bus –
lets all share the load.
Fiona Came.
Is It Worth
It?
It’s five o’clock in the
morning and I’m snuggled under the duvet wondering if it’s
worth it.
I’ve got my usual half-term
cold and I’m wondering whether I should ring in and say I
can’t make it, but I eventually force myself out of bed.
By the time I get to
Chesterfield, I’m running late and panicking a little. Will
anyone turn up? Will the coach be there? Have I got the
right day?
Despite heavy traffic, we get
to London in plenty of time, but head straight for the House.
It still mazes me that in the twenty-first century we still
have such easy access to the centre of government
On the whole, the MPs seem
friendly and concerned. Members are reporting that their MPs
seem genuinely surprised that the government is not
undertaking the scheduled review of the teacher’s pensions
scheme. When the MPs trot out the tired argument that they
can’t afford our pensions, we have the opportunity to
challenge this and ask what they did with the money when we
were paying in more than we took out.
Back on the coach, most of
the lobbyists report that they feel that they have had a real
and positive impact.
So now it’s five o’clock at
night and I’m snuggled under my coat wondering whether it’s
been worth it.
It definitely has.
Dave Kirby
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