Unite union campaigns to open first final salary pension scheme in decades

The leader of the Unite union has pledged to negotiate the opening of the first final salary pension scheme for workers in 30 years.

General secretary Sharon Graham has been at the centre of hundreds of pay disputes in the past 18 months, covering more than 200,000 union members.

She said Unite has won four out of five of the disputes, worth £400 million in pay rises.

In an interview with the PA news agency, she said one of her new aims is to improve pensions, saying: “I want to see the first final salary pension scheme open in 30 years.

“There is a responsibility on employers to look after workers in retirement.”

Thousands of final salary pension schemes have closed over the past decade, leaving fewer than 1,000 left across industry.

The Unite leader also revealed that she plans to attend the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool next month after staying away last year to remain involved in pay negotiations.

“I want Labour to win the general election and they will do some very important things, but my job is to hold their feet to the fire to avoid any slippage in the pledges they have made on employment rights,” she said.

Labour is promising to introduce a new deal for workers within 100 days of being in government, including banning zero-hours contracts and giving workers rights from the first day in the job.

Ms Graham said “words matter” and that she will be scrutinising speeches and documents to make sure Labour does nothing to row back on its pledges.

She will press party leader Keir Starmer to commit to take energy back into public ownership, saying it would boost the economy and cut household bills.

The latest figures on pay rises is “firm proof” that collective bargaining with employers reaps rewards for working people, she said.

She added: “The stark reality is that millions of workers will still be looking at their payslips and wondering how they’re going to afford rising rents, mortgage payments and bills.

“The battle to push up pay is far from over and we will continue to fight hard, because, as we’ve seen today, it works.”