The new Scheme will ensure the long term viability of the Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland

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Date: May 2008

GMB Scotland the largest Union for Manual Workers and fastest growing Union for White Collar Staff in Local Government have voted to accept by 94% to 6% the Proposals for a new Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme.

The main components of the Proposals are:

* Retention of the current final salary structure
* Improvement in the accrual rate
* Introduction of a 5 point tiered employee contribution rate, which is ‘banded’.
* Increased lump sum death in service benefit
* Pension for partners who cohabit
* Better targeted ill-health pension provisions through a two-tier benefit scheme, with a third tier provided by a discretionary employer lump sum payment to operate alongside the scheme.

The Scheme is due to be introduced from April 2009.

Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland’s Senior Organiser for Public Services said: “This is a good outcome for GMB members. During the negotiations we managed not only to maintain the gold standard of a Final Salary Scheme, we have also built further improvements into the new Scheme that will benefit Local Government Workers”.

This new Scheme will also ensure the long term viability of the Local Government Pension Scheme and in these days of uncertainty within the Pension Industry this is also good news for Local Government workers who really value their Pension Provision”.

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Contact: Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland’s Senior Organiser on 0141 352 8141 mobile 07885 348269

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