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Tue 29th November
She said: “The necessity for public sector workers to make their voices heard will not be more keenly felt than tomorrow, when they take to the picket-lines to protest this scurrilous attack on their pensions, and the SDLP will be backing them all the way.
“Our minister, Alex Attwood, was the only member of the Executive to vote against pension increases – a vote we are very proud of as a party. He also pointed out that NILGOSC pensioners should be exempt from any increase.
“It puts into stark relief the actions of the DUP and Sinn Féin, who voted to do the Tory-led Westminster government’s bidding in attacking the conditions of our public servants, particularly the 44,000 NILGOSC members, including fire officers and staff in education and transport.
“What is important to remember is that, were the Executive to refuse to implement NILGOSC pension increases, it would not cost the NI Budget a single penny – but this is a piece of simple arithmetic that has escaped the rest of the Executive.
“We call on the Executive to make a decisive and positive move to protect public sector pensions and support Alex Attwood’s demand that they reverse their September 22 decision to increase contributions on NILGOSC pensions. The SDLP and will be making that plain in a motion to the Assembly next week.
“Tomorrow, SDLP representatives across Northern Ireland will be visiting picket lines and attending rallies in support of public sector pensions, while in London, our MPs will be joining other opposition members in holding the Westminster government to account as part of an opposition debate backed by trade unions.
“We recognise the economic difficulties we are in at present, and our representatives are working flat out to help nurse the economy back to health, but we will be standing shoulder to shoulder with hard-working public servants who only want a fair deal for a job well done.”
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