UNISON expressed concerns about the current draft of the Pensions Bill as it gets its second reading in the House of Commons this afternoon.
The proposed level of the new Single-Tier pension of £144 per week is well below the poverty line. UNISON recommends increasing the level of the single-tier state pension as well as increasing the minimum contributions under auto enrolment.
UNISON is also calling on the government to set up an independent commission to oversee changes in the State Pension Age, with representatives of the workforce on the commission.
Finally the union is considering proposed powers for employers to override scheme trustees to push through changes, which they could use to recoup their higher NI contributions by reducing benefits for members.
The union believes that any changes should only be part of negotiations and consultations with members of the scheme as a whole.
