It's your money – speak out

(25/03/08) The best people to look after members’ money invested in pension funds are members themselves, general secretary Dave Prentis told a UNISON pensions seminar in London today.Around 100 union members came together to talk about the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and UNISON’s campaign to make sure that the bodies governing its investment funds include trustees answerable to scheme members.At present, the people overseeing how funds are invested are answerable only to the employers – contrary to how every other pension fund is run.Welcoming participants to the seminar, Mr Prentis said the issue of LGPS governance will be a major campaign for the union, adding: "It makes plain common sense that the best people to be trustees are those saving in the scheme."He said that the success of negotiations on the LGPS over the last three years "led to a major historical gain for our members saving in the scheme" but now we need to build on that gain and campaign for member trustees to help govern the various investment funds."We want you to become advocates for change. We want you to become reps on the boards of trustees," he told those taking part in the seminar, pledging that "UNISON will do everything it can to invest in you - to improve, support and train members who become reps."