Thousands of workers in the Nuclear sector are to vote this month on a new pension deal.

The improved proposals, which were created via talks between Energy Minister Jesse Norman, unions Unite and GMB as well as Aslef, will go out for a consultative ballot on Monday, 12 June.

A total of 16,000 employees work for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), with nearly 3,000 Unite members working across the NDA's estate. Main sites include Sellafield and Magnox.

The proposed career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme involves and increase in the accrual rate, marking a positive benefit for all. In addition, contributions are to set to increase and many of the established benefits will remain unchanged.

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Unite national officer for energy Kevin Coyne said: After more than a year of intensive negotiations, we believe that on the pension issue this is the best deal that can be achieved by negotiation.

"A significant achievement was to roll back the £620 million savings demanded by the Treasury to a more manageable figure of £320 million.

"The proposals remove the protections that the unions won for the workers on the denationalisation of the industry in the 1990 Electricity Act, but an amendment to the act will ensure the CARE scheme will inherit new protections.

"Unite is currently conducting a major briefing exercise to inform our members of the new proposals and what it means to their future retirement incomes."

The ballot will close on Friday, 30 June.

(LM)