Hello everyone,
Well, those of us who have received their letters from HPE will be disappointed, but probably not surprised to find that there will be no discretionary increase to pre 1997 pension element this year!
We believe that we can achieve our goal. In recent weeks, our campaign has changed gears. More people are getting involved and that should increase our chance of success if we can stay coordinated and focused.
We are re-assessing our position and approach and will share further information with you once we have clarified our thinking and ideas on how you can help.
This is a difficult and complex issue; we have several moving parts/interventions in motion, and we need to see how these evolve as part of determining our next steps.
There is some positive news to report since our last update and a request for your support
Influencing the Pensions Select Committee
The Work and Pensions Committee has concluded its consultation on pension matters and submitted their report to the DWP and the Pensions Regulator. David Carson submitted evidence and represented our views on the treatment of pre 1997 pensions, outlining the need for a Code of Ethical Practice, requiring
company and Trustees to collaborate in developing policy and strategy for discretionary benefits.
Their recommendations included our request that the government carry out research into those companies that have consistently not given discretionary increases over many years. The final report from the Pensions Select Committee can be viewed at the link below.
Forming connections with other pension action groups
To increase the impact of our evidence submitted to the Select Committee, we formed a connection with members of other pension campaign groups: Amex, 3M, and Wood Group. We think this collective effort increased our influence.
Our joint evidence to the Select Committee included the fact that no one, the government nor the pension Regulator, knows the true scale of the problem and how many large corporations having not been giving increases over many years.
Recent media coverage is now exposing the scale of the issue and some of the
companies involved. This is a positive development and a factor in future strategy and tactics that we need to build on.
Increasing media publicity
The Times and Sunday Times have picked up on the issue and HPE, along with AMEX, BP, 3M, Wood Group/Foster Wheeler, KPMG, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, have featured in recent articles.
It was after the initial articles by The Times on BP, ourselves with Amex, 3M, and Wood Group, that likely led to other pensioners within other companies approaching the Times, resulting in about 5 articles since January.
Other companies being identified is a breakthrough, the opportunity for us to connect, learn from each other, add weight to our cause, and work together for greater political exposure, influence, and impact
We have since gained further exposure via other media articles on the internet and newspapers and are working to generate interest with other media to bring the issue to a wider audience. Recent media articles can be viewed at the link below.
Some members are also now actively engaged in a social media campaign using Linkedin – and their strategy is to highlight the UK pre-97 situation whenever the company or senior executives put out communications promoting the virtues and accolades of HPE.
“Shareholder activism”
Patricia Kennedy, a former Ayr based employee, has been collaborating with the team and using her change management expertise and contacts to create new momentum. She has written to Patricia Russo, HPE’s corporate Chairman, appealing for her intervention and, as a shareholder, submitted a question to the HPE annual shareholders meeting held on April 10th.
The communication to Russo, shareholder meeting question and supporting endorsements can be viewed at the link below.
The company are obligated to publish their answers to all shareholder questions, and we are monitoring their website daily to review their response which will likely have a strong influence on our next phase strategy and tactics in engaging with both the company and Trustee.
We have another request for your help
In the meantime, we have an action request where you can help strengthen political influence.
1 Regarding the Pensions Committee, we would like you to bring MP’s
attention to the Committee’s report, particularly the sections on Discretionary Increases (78-83), Decision-making (84-89), Conclusions and recommendations (9 in particular), which recommends that the DWP and Regulator look closely at the treatment of pre 1997 pensioners.
2 An Early Day Motion has been launched in Parliament, which brings the Government’s attention to issues that are not currently scheduled to be debated in the House. However, to gain any traction, we need up to 100 MPs to sign up. Link to the Early Day Motion: Pre-1997 Pensions Early Day Motion
We would like and strongly urge you to send a short message to your MP explaining our plight regarding pre 1997 discretionary payments and ask your MP to:
1. Write to Pensions Minister Paul Maynard, copying The Pensions Regulator Chief Executive Nausicaa Delfas, expressing support for the Work and Pensions Select Committee recommendations in their recent Defined benefit pensions report, and that the Pensions Regulator (TPR) conduct research into the extent of the problem faced by scheme members with pre-1997 rights.
Please note – there are various references to HPPA work in the committee report that your MP can refer to as supporting evidence.
2. Sign the Early Day Motion
Thanks for your ongoing support.
We are a small team, and this task is bigger than our capability. We need your help.
You can help by sending us your ideas and getting involved. Do not hesitate in letting us know what you think.
LINK TO VIEW SUPPORTING MATERIALS MENTIONED ABOVE.
Best regards
Alan Evans and the HPPA team
5 Responses
To HPPA Team
Please provide template letters to MPs and specific call(s) to action. Also it would help members particularly in Reading if Wood Group was referred to as Wood Group (Foster Wheeler).
Thank you for all your hard work it is really appreciated.
I have a copy of the template and received a standard template reply from my MP (Alok Sharma) for Reading West, so just pushed back to Alok.
Hello John,
Can you let me know which template you are referring to please.
Reason I ask – is that I’m I am working on a new one for our latest request regarding writing to MPs asking for their support for the recommendations from the Select Committee.
Thanks,
Dave
Happy to write to my local MP – I will wait for a copy of the new template letter referred to by David.
Many thanks
Suzanne
Very happy to write to my MP once we have a template we can all use.
Thank you for all your efforts – very much appreciated.