The combination of the financial crisis, related threats to pensions schemes and changes to be introduced by the Government have pushed pensions higher up everyone's agenda than ever before. What can we do about it? This course aims to train Pensions Champions who will be active in their workplaces in helping colleagues understand the different aspects of pensions, how much they are likely to get in retirement and what they can do to improve their situation if necessary.

Most people don’t think of themselves as investors in the stock market, but a huge proportion of investments are held through our savings, pensions, insurance and banking. This means that money may be invested on our behalf in companies which are failing to take action on climate change.
 
According to the Ethical Investment Research and Information Service UK pension funds control more than a third of the shares on the UK stock market. This is likely to grow, as more people are automatically opted-in to company schemes under new legislation.

The State Pension Forecast system is now updated and fully available again. To read the latest information about it from the DWP, download the document attached.

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