THE STRUGGLE NEEDS TO GO ON

Says Bob Coote – our Branch delegate at Blackpool.

After the usual and traditional march from the promenade to the Winter Gardens conference centre, in Blackpool, causing wonderment and curiosity among many older holidaymakers en route, and the wrath of many a driver brought to a halt by the slow moving and often walking stick brigade  - marching to a band - our 16th Annual Pensioners Parliament was in session.

Opening speeches over, some letters of encouraging support from various iconic folk, including Jack Jones (the best Prime Minister we never had)   and some welcoming words from the Mayor of Blackpool (commenting on the pittance that is todays pension)  - then brought us all to the main thrust of this year’s event - the celebration of the Centenary of the State pension, which made its appearance after a decade of struggle and pressure at the rate of five shillings under the 1908 Lloyd George Government, and to renew our commitment to strive to remove pensioner poverty.

But not only the glance back in gratitude, in paying tribute to the pioneer activists and trade union pressures of yesteryear, we must heed the distinct and vocal call for renewal of commitment by the present day pensioner to continue that struggle for a decent state pension for all older people. Here we must not forget our younger colleagues on the path to retirement also.

 The new taxes introduced to fund the pensions of 1908 gave those oldies the handsome sum of five old shillings – which actually amounted to 25% of the then average wage, whilst our present day stipend from the present Government represents something like a 14% comparison with today’s average wage.

So the NPC and the Trade Unions – who were a driving force in the initial introduction of State Pensions of course – are mounting a campaign for an increase in our non means tested pensions to stand above the national poverty level of £134 a week. To this end there will be various regional rallies and demonstrations and our turn in London comes in October when there will be a huge TUC/National Pensioners Convention rally at Central Hall Westminster. For the first time the Unions will be providing working age activists to lobby alongside each OAP as a team effort to drag out just about every MP for a word or three on the vexed matter. It is interesting to note the leading role UNISON will play in this campaign, as possibly the union with the most members with less than adequate occupational pension back up.

In addition to this we are all called on to write to our individual MPs in the meantime – and that means straight away – to sign and support the Kate Hoey MPs EARLY DAY MOTION (number 658). This pays tribute to the pioneers of yesteryear in the introduction of our state pension, and to recognise the Parliamentary responsibility to provide a decent income in retirement for all, without resort to means-testing, and expresses concern that after 100 years the state pension still stands significantly BELOW the officially recognised poverty level. 

In one hundred years we pensioners have managed to slide backwards with our standing on the ladder of society – and this is the year for us all to put this matter straight, if only on behalf of our children and indeed our working colleagues., the pensioners of tomorrow.

There were MPs attending from New Labour and the Liberal democrats, and Kate Hoey MP delivered a particularly rousing address underlining and building on the encouraging words of Frances O’Grady the TUC General Secretary.

As usual the Convention split up on successive sessions of ‘workshops’ to debate in detail and provide feed back mainly on matters of care. Aspects of long term, primary, hospital, mental health, or indeed social and community care, and the support of the many voluntary and family carers who work so hard at their tasks...saving the Government millions in costs.

Other areas of debate took in age discrimination, concessionary travel, council taxes and the sad state of the Post Offices across our land.

Finally there were report backs, a short address from the Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and the fine keynote speaker Prof: Alan Walker much versed in age matters and problems and a Patron of the NPC. 

Bob Coote

Retired Members Secretary

June 2008