Prospect is to set up a network of workplace pensions champions to help members handle the many retirement choices they now face. Conference backed a proposal by the national executive to give full support to the TUC's pensions champions project.

People now understood pensions issues much better than in the past, but how they actually work is less well understood, said Audrey Uppington, moving the NEC motion. The TUC project aimed to explain to members at work the options available to them, she said. It includes a pensions website and the facility for members to build up their own personal pensions profile.

This course will help union reps to:

• consider the basic pension environment, examining state pensions, occupational pensions, personal pensions and additional pensions
• become familiar with a range of resources, looking at published materials as well as that available on websites
• make extensive use of the TUC's online materials, all activities will have an online element
  prepare a presentation to use in workplaces

For details on course timings and course registration please contact the provider from the list that you can download here.

Taking the long view: Effective pension trusteeship in uncertain times.
The TUC Member Trustee Network annual conference. Friday 27 June 2008, Congress House, London.

Global economic turbulence, increasing regulatory and legal burdens, greater longevity and legislative change: these are uncertain times in the pensions world. The role of member trustees is critical in stewarding pensions, protecting members’ benefits and taking a long-term view in the face of these challenges.

This conference aims to help trustees navigate the current terrain and look to the future on pensions policy, regulatory and investment issues.

The DWP has agreed to fund the TUC’s Pensions Champions project for another year. This means that we will be able to build on the progress already made, significantly increasing the number of Champions. More Champions will mean assistance for many more working people in unravelling their pensions and, where necessary, taking steps to improve their retirement income.

Recruitment and training

The TUC now has a database of over 450+ individuals who want to become Pensions Champions, built up through leafleting and promotion on TUC and trade union websites. We aim to substantially increase that number through further publicity. Around 200 individuals have already attended the 3-day Pensions Champions at work course, provided through Unionlearn and offered at Trade Union Education Centres around the country. This is a free course for individuals nominated by their trade union. A number of courses have also been run for members in a single union or employer and further such courses are planned in local government, rail and nuclear industries.

At the beginning of the year the TSSA trained its first wave of Pension Champions. Stimulated by the report made by the Railway Pension Commission and recommendations to move to a career average scheme*, as well as disregarding TSSA recommendations for an industry wide scheme; reps have been busy recruiting pensions champions. As part of the TSSA strategic response to the commission’s report the TSSA has managed to recruit pension champions from outside the rep pool and directly from the membership. July brings the second wave of training with nearly 40 applicants and many more awaiting dates for future training in the year. It is the aim of the TSSA to recruit pension champions in every region for every company, providing us with a network of reps solely placed to organise around what stands to be one of the biggest issues facing our members in 2008.

9-11 June 2008. Bedford Studio, 1 Bedford Avenue, London, WC1 (2 mins walk from Congress House)

This 3-day course is for union officers and staff who are involved in consultation, negotiation and communication with members on pension schemes, in any sector.  No previous knowledge of pensions is assumed. Participants are asked to collect essential information about schemes they deal with and use this information on the course.  The course is not suitable for officers or representatives from single workplaces. The aims of the course are as follows:

TUC response to Personal Accounts Delivery Authority consultation April 2008

Introduction
1.1 Our fundamental starting point on this issue is that the costs of the scheme must be kept low.
1.2 In considering the available evidence, our preference is for a contribution charge for personal accounts*, where the charge is calculated as a proportion of each contribution made by member.

Contribution charge
1.3 We believe a contribution charge should be the model for personal accounts for the following reasons.

e-learning for pension scheme trustees

Here's a great new online toolkit and training programme from the Pensions Regulator. The benefits are simple…

• It’s free – log on now and take a look
• It’s easy to use – based on real-life case studies
• It’s convenient – learn at your own pace

Complete the e-learning programme and you’ll be well on the way to complying with the requirements of the Pensions Act 2004.

Log on now…. www.trusteetoolkit.com

The Bill is the second part of the package of reforms to the UK pensions system set out in the May 2006 Pensions White Paper, Security in retirement: towards a new pension system. The first part of the reforms, taken forward by Pensions Act 2007, included reform of the state pension.

Key areas:

• Proposes a duty on employers to automatically enrol jobholders into, and to contribute to, a qualifying workplace pension scheme 
• Introduces the concept of personal accounts* which are described as a 'simple, low-cost pension saving scheme' aimed at moderate to low earners who currently do not have access to a workplace pension scheme. This would be overseen by a Personal Accounts Delivery Authority
• Sets out a compliance regime for the new duties on employers.

Other measures relate to: the revaluation of deferred pensions, the additional state pension*, pension credits, pension sharing on divorce or dissolution of civil partnership, the Pension Protection Fund and the Pensions Regulator.