I attended a meeting to support our I.N.T.O. teaching colleagues in their fight for better pension conditions for teachers in the future. The three teacher unions organized the meeting in the Clarion Hotel, Lucan to " Stop the Attack on Pensions". The Government proposed to introduce drastic changes in 2011 for new entrants and re/entrants to the Teaching Profession. The “Trident Report”, commissioned by the three unions, I.N.T.O., T.U.I, and A.S.T.I. set out key points in relation to the proposed changes.
The main changes being:
q Pensions would be based now on career average instead of final salary – this would mean that all new entrants would pay more, work longer and get less in their pensions.
q It would herald the end of parity as we know it as increases would go from matching salary to increases matching inflation (uprating of fund would also be inflation linked)
q Retirement at 65 would change to retirement at 68.
q There would also be a substantial cut in pensions.
The cost to the State with the changes introduced in 1995, 2004, and 2009 has been severely curtailed. The report states too that the changes envisaged by the new legislation for new entrants in 2011 are deemed to be unnecessary, unfair and unlawful.
Members from the various students Unions attended the meeting as did Mr. Jimmy Kelly who represented the union UNITE that represents both public and private employees. All the speakers stressed the importance of intergenerational solidarity to combat the proposed changes. Every citizen has the right to retire with dignity and a certain level of security in their twilight years. It would be wrong of us to adapt the attitude, "We’re all right Jack’. We must protect and canvas for decent and fair pensions and conditions for our children and grand children - the future generation.
Mary Kyne