NASUWT – The Teachers' Union is today calling on
the Government and the Pensions Regulator to take action against
schools who are trying to encourage members to opt out of the
Teachers' Pension Scheme in return for higher salaries.
At the TUC Congress in Brighton, NASUWT Senior Vice
President Wayne Broom condemned attempts by some
employers to encourage teachers to leave the Teachers' Pension
Scheme.
In recent months however, United Learning Trust, which operates
around 100 state-funded schools, is proposing to offer thousands
of teachers the option of leaving the TPS in exchange for a
higher salary.
Wayne Broom told Congress: “The significance of
the United Learning proposals is that this is the largest
multi-academy trust in England and is as such is directly
maintained and funded by the government as a large public sector
employer.
“The Teachers' Pension Scheme is mandatory for multi-academy
trusts as a public body.
“This is the first time we have seen a significant public body
which is an employer of teachers to propose to incentivise
opt-outs from that scheme.
“It is vital that both the Government and the Pensions Regulator
take action against public sector employers, which offer higher
salaries to employees in return for opting out of public sector
schemes.”
NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach said:
“Any attempt to seek to persuade or induce teachers to opt out of
the TPS will be resisted strongly.
“United Learning's actions are not acceptable and we will not
hesitate to do whatever it takes to protect our members.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
A copy of Wayne Broom's speech is below
President, Congress
Wayne Broom SVP NASUWT - The Teachers Union seconding Motion 71.
This motion commits the TUC to opposing United Learning's
proposals to introduce a defined contributions pension scheme for
its teachers as an alternative to the defined benefits Teachers'
Pension Scheme.
From September 2025 onwards, teachers who leave the Teachers'
Pension Scheme will be able to receive a higher salary if they
opt for an employer contribution into a DC money purchase scheme.
NASUWT has considerable experience of successfully opposing
attacks on the Teachers' Pension Scheme in the independent school
sector, where independent school employers voluntarily
participate in the scheme as accepted bodies. We have taken
industrial action in many cases to successfully prevent teachers
from being removed from this scheme against their will or from
having their salaries cut for remaining in the Teachers' Pension
Scheme.
I pay tribute to those independent school teachers who have taken
many days of industrial action and defended their pensions in
their schools and colleges.
The significance of the United Learning proposals is that this is
the largest multi-academy trust in England and is as such is
directly maintained and funded by the government as a large
public sector employer.
The Teachers' Pension Scheme is mandatory for multi-academy
trusts as a public body. This is the first time we have seen a
significant public body which is an employer of teachers to
propose to incentivise opt-outs from that
scheme.
NASUWT welcomes this motion from the NAHT making very clear the
unacceptability of an employer asking employees to choose between
a higher salary now and a public sector pension in the future. We
consider this to be a crucial issue for all public sector pension
schemes as it goes to the heart of the Government's 25 year
guarantee of the reformed public service schemes, given in 2015.
Key to this is that public service schemes will continue to be
the pension provision for the public sector workforce.
Hence, NASUWT believes that it is vital that both the Government
and the Pensions Regulator take action against public sector
employers, which offer higher salaries to employees in return for
opting out of public sector schemes.
It is not sufficient for public sector employers to lower pension
contributions to the floor so that they comply with minimum
auto-enrolment legislation for the workforce.
Our members deserve secure, defined benefits pensions as a reward
for public service and our public sector employers must pay their
part in enrolling current and future employees in our public
sector schemes to ensure that this is the case, both now and in
the
future.
The NASUWT amendment commits the TUC to lobbying the Government
and the Pensions Regulator to take appropriate action against any
employer which induces or incentivises employees to leave public
sector schemes.
Let's be clear: it is in the Treasury's interest, as well as the
interests of our members, to maximise public sector worker, and
public sector employer, participation in public service schemes,
both now and in the future.
Employer and employee contributions into public service pension
schemes are a vital component of the Exchequer's income. In
addition, we believe that should be is a key function of the
Pensions Regulator to enforce the Regulatory principle that the
public service schemes are the pension schemes for public sector
workers across the UK.
Congress, stand with us and defend public sector pensions.
Congress, I second.
