The NUJ is fighting for adequate state pensions and decent occupational pensions and in support of maintaining and improving welfare services that enable older people to play their full role in society with dignity.
The NUJ has thousands of members over the age of 60. Some are still working, others are retired from work, but many have told us they want to get active with the NUJ.
The NUJ 60+ Council provides the opportunity for our members to use their vast experience and collective voice in shaping the work of the union.
The NUJ is affiliated to the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) and NUJ branches can affiliate to their NPC regional sectors so there is joint work at a local level.
ACAS advice and guidance on age discrimination
60+ Council
The 60+ council is an organisation of NUJ members aged over 60. The council campaigns on issues including 60+ ageism, pensions (state and occupational) and related equality issues.
I am Jenny Sims, a freelance based in Cardiff and co-chair of 60+ Council. I have a background in healthcare writing and an interest in campaigning to improve dementia services.
I am one of the council’s six Delegate Meeting-elected members. The other members come from the union’s industrial councils and Irish, Scottish and Welsh executive councils. My co-chair, Jim Symons, lives in Dundee and is a member of the Scottish Executive Council.
Our council recently relaunched its newsletter, Senior Reporter, to raise awareness of its work and to provide a platform for issues the NUJ’s older members – working and retired – are concerned about. It is emailed to all NUJ members aged over 60, currently more than 5,000 – and growing! The editorial team, Jenny Vaughan, Derek Forrest and I, welcome your contributions, articles and letters; email: [email protected]
Ageism was the cover story written by Brussels-based Nicoletta Flessati, our Continental Europe Council member and newly-appointed ageism “lead”. Pensions are another priority. In the same issue, Jenny Vaughan, our pensions lead, flagged up the campaign to save the “triple lock” which guarantees the UK state pension does not lose value in real terms and is now under threat.
To fulfil a pensions motion at the last Delegate Meeting we continue to support the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) and other pensions rights’ campaigns. We play a key role in the National Pensions Convention’s (NPC) campaign on digital inclusion. Thanks to an NUJ decision at its Biennial Delegates’ Conference (BDC) in 2019, a digital working party was set up and the campaign, Connections for All, was launched last February on National Dignity Day. It aims to get more older people online and ensure those who are not – for whatever reason, choice or inability – are not disadvantaged or discriminated against.
For the 2022 BDC, the NUJ proposed a motion addressing barriers to older people getting online, such as the fear of scams. The three 60+ delegates also spoke to other motions about housing, transport and a fairer tax system.
We have a big workload and need more hands at the pump. Check out our vacancies and come and join us.
