Monday, 28th November 2011
Commenting on the TUC Day of Action set for Wednesday, 30th November 2011, Jon Skewes, director of employment relations and development at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “Government ministers are threatening to withdraw undertakings to protect those in their last ten years of service and not improve the pensions offer currently on the table.
“The RCM is not currently taking industrial action but is supporting the TUC Day of Action. We are absolutely opposed to our members' pensions being stolen from them. The Government will ignore the depth of anger on this issue among midwives and other NHS staff at their peril.
“If significant improvements to the existing package of proposals are not negotiated by the Government, in good faith, we will be forced to ballot our members on industrial action early next year.
“We want to see fewer threats from the Government and more commitment to negotiation. They need to build on their recent announcement on protections for NHS staff such as midwives. They also need to recognise that it may just not be possible for midwives to work in such a physically and mentally challenging job until they are 68.
“The threats and bullying of government ministers over the Day of Action on pensions may backfire if this pushes non-striking organisations such as the RCM to ballot their members on industrial action.”
In a recent survey* by the RCM of over 6000 midwives that investigated midwives’ attitudes about the pension changes only 9% of Midwives felt valued by the Government. The fact that such a low number said this is a barometer of the level of concern, upset and dissatisfaction felt by midwives.
*The full survey of over 6000 RCM members by Incomes Data Services can be viewed on the RCM website at http://www.rcm.org.uk/college/support-at-work/pensions/idssurvey/.
For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.
Notes to editors
The Royal College of Midwives is the voice of midwifery. We are the UK’s only trade union and professional organisation led by midwives for midwives. The vast majority of the midwifery profession are our members. The RCM promotes midwifery, quality maternity services and professional standards. We support and represent our members individually and collectively in all four UK countries. We influence on behalf of our members and for the interests of the women and families for which they care. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.
