- Conference
- 2004 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes the excellent campaign launched this year by the Fawcett Society and Age Concern to raise awareness and campaign for improved pension provisions for women.
Women suffer pay inequality during their working lives, which continues to impact upon them in their retirement. Twenty five per cent of single female pensioners live in poverty and retired men receive an average income of £202 a week compared to retired women who receive only £161 per week.
Women retire poorer because:
1)they work fewer hours over fewer years;
2)they are more likely to take unpaid time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities;
3)they generally earn less;
4)they are less likely to be a member of a good company pension scheme and
5)they retire earlier and live longer so their money has to last longer.
Women who work part-time, are disabled, or come from black and minority ethnic communities suffer double discrimination in paid employment which carries over into their retirement income.
One of the most insidious forms of increasing discrimination is the move from good final salary schemes to money purchase schemes. This effectively will increase the proportion of low paid being offered second class pensions schemes to go with their second class pay.
This move is occurring throughout Europe where in addition serious funding deficits are causing governments to increase retirement ages and reduce benefits.
Unless the current pensions system is changed this will continue to be a huge problem for many young women working today.
Conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to:
a)work with the National Executive Council to publicise and promote the Fawcett Society and Age Concern campaign;
b)show solidarity with the low paid/pensioned women of Europe and work with the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and Public Service Union (Public Services International) to fight increasing discrimination against the low paid women called by the pension crisis;
c)work with the Young Members’ Forum to raise awareness amongst our young women members of the importance of joining an occupational pension scheme as soon as possible;
d)protect and promote good final salary occupational pensions schemes;
e)work with UNISON’s Pension Department to campaign for changes to the pensions systems, which will ensure women won’t retire in poverty;
f)campaign against proposals to increase retirement ages in the public service pension schemes.