- Conference
- 2024 National Community Conference and Seminar
- Date
- 15 November 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Pension provision in housing associations is extremely variable. Some members are in the Local Government Pension Scheme as a consequence of TUPE arrangements dating back many years; others in the sectoral Social Housing Pension Scheme; but most, especially newer staff, are now in defined contribution arrangements of varying quality.
We are now seeing pensions coming under sustained attack by employers as they seek to remove the entitlements of those still in defined benefit arrangements. At Clarion, for example, disgraceful tactics of fire and rehire are being used to remove the entitlements of those who are members of the LGPS, who will be placed into the much worse defined contribution scheme upon reemployment. The employer argues for this on the basis of fairness- because newer employees have DC arrangements, so should longer-standing staff. UNISON Members decisively reject this levelling-down argument.
As there are significant differences in the DC arrangements between different HAs, there is scope for work in negotiation to press for improvement of the worse schemes so they are closer to matching the best available. This would achieve meaningful improvements in pension provision for those involved.
Conference calls upon the Community Service Group Executive to:
a)Support members facing threats to their own pensions, including supporting lawful industrial action.
b)Publicise threats to pension entitlement where they arise and the action members take to resist these.
c)Support members in their efforts to improve the terms of the defined contribution pension offered by their employer.
d)Produce guidance on pensions issues tailored to the particular issues faced by Community members
