Candidate joins protest over women’s pensions

Alison supports campaign against ‘unfair’changes

Women queued up to sign a pledge against what are claimed to be unfair changes to the state pension age.

They added their names to the list at an open- air event in Johnstone’s Houstoun Square organised for WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality).

The movement was set up after the government put in place plans to increase women’s pension age to 65.

WASPI says it agrees with the equalisation, but does not agree with what it described as the “unfair” way the changes were implemented, with little or no personal notice, later than originally promised, and leaving women no time to make alternative plans.

The organisation claims this has led to retirement plans for women born in the 1950 being shattered, with devastating financial consequences.

It is calling for a bridging pension to provide a non-means tested income until state pension age.

Supporting the campaign is Councillor Alison Dowling, who is also standing for the Paisley and Renfrewshire South UK Parliamentary seat in the forthcoming General Election.

If elected she promised to work for justice for the women affected.

She said: “I signed the WASPI pledge and will campaign on behalf of WASPI.

“Women born in the 1950s are facing hardship.”

And signing the pledge, Mrs Dowling’s personal message was: “I pledge to support WASPI and to work in Parliament to find a solution for the women affected.”

The Labour politician said the event in Houston Square was a big success, with a large number of women and men signing the pledge.

Before being elected to Renfrewshire Council Alison Dowling was well known as an anti- poverty campaigner.

She is a former contributing director to the National Credit Union Forum, and was employed as senior manager for a number of Scottish credit unions.

Her work in the credit union sector has been recognised by a number of awards.

These include the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Personal Financial Education Award for Schools and a ROCCO Social Enterprise of the Year Award.

Women born in the 1950s are facing hardship Alison Downing