GREEN PARTY CONFERENCE SUPPORTS PENSION STRIKE

The Green Party of England and Wales' Spring Conference in Scarborough
passed an emergency resolution this Thursday, supporting the strike by
nine major trade unions over the threats to local government pensions,
due to take place on March 28th.

The motion, which condemned "Labour's disgraceful betrayal of public
sector pension rights", was seconded by the Deputy Leader of Oxford
City Council Green Group, Cllr Matt Sellwood. He commented: "This strike
will be one of the biggest in the last 80 years, and the Green Party
entirely supports it. These are mostly low-paid local government workers,
standing up against an unjust effort by the Labour government to strip them
of their pension rights. The average worker receives just £3,600 under
the local government pension scheme, and the average female worker just
£1,600. For Labour to be seeking to delay their rights to gain even this
small pension is nothing short of a disgrace."

The announcement of the strike follows the decision by the Labour and
Liberal Democrat groups to approve the outsourcing of Oxford City
Council's tax collection functions to a private firm - which both UNISON
and the Green Group have pledged to fight.

FMI: Contact Cllr Matt Sellwood on 07974745529 or 

matt@greenoxford.com