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(03/01/12) UNISON is gearing up to take the pensions campaign forward in 2012 with our third pensions summit, bringing together lay activists from across the union, taking place at the UNISON Centre on 10 January.

All the service group executives involved in the NHS and local government pension schemes will meet on the same day to consider the latest updates from the sector negototiations and decide the way forward.

Those negotations followed on from 30 November, when hundreds of thousands of UNISON members took strike action to defend their pensions and demand that government ministers negotiate seriously.

That pressure from UNISON, including the ballot of more than a million members, saw negotiations resume with significant movement from the original proposals.

But at the moment, these are only outline principles - there are no detailed offers for the different public service pension schemes that members can make a decision on.

That is why the meetings on 10 January are crucial: the union's democratic structures will decide the way forward.

Until we have a firm offer, we need to keep up the pressure.

If you are a steward or activist in the region you should recieve your own copy of UNISON ACTIVE! If you don't receive one make sure you update your details.

• UNISON ACTIVE! - Summer 2011 (PDF - large files)
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Spring 2011
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Winter 2010
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Summer 2010
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Spring 2010
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Winter 2009
• UNISON ACTIVE! - Summer 2009
  

Stewards are the backbone of UNISON. Without stewards there would be no one there to act as the link between members and the union and to organise and support people in the workplace. If you would like to get active in UNISON call UNISON Direct on 0845 355 0845

Thanks to Emma Hoddinott from the North Yorkshire Branch of UNISON for this video.