Pensions

Well, I’m going to go off course a bit here. I had a “Victor Meldrew” moment this morning. Copied below is a letter from this morning’s Metro.

“The arrogance of unions never ceases to amaze me. They are completely out of touch if they believe the public will support them holding us hostage because they are being required to pay more for their own retirements than they used to.

What right do they have to expect others to pay their salaries and then pay their pensions on top of that? Low earners in the private sector have to pay for their own pensions.

Adrian Fisher, West Midlands.”

Well, Mr Fisher, the arrogance of people who express dogmatic opinions from a position of ignorance never cease to amaze me!

I think you will find that this is about a lot more than having to pay more for “their own retirements”. Maybe you should do a bit more reading on the subject.

“What right do they have to expect others to pay their salaries…” I’m assuming this alludes to the tired old argument that goes along the lines that I pay taxes, therefore I pay your salary. Well, it may suprise you to know that public service workers pay taxes too. So by your skewed logic I pay my own salary! These slaries are paid from taxes etc because the are mostly essential services that most people demand.

 

“…and then pay their pensions on top of that. Low earners in the public sector have to pay for their own pensions.”

Obviously the argument about taxes above also applies to this. But it is not only private sector workers who fund their own pensions. For my 23 years so far of service I have paid 14% of my salary towards my pension. Exactly how much this is is not relevant but I’m willing to bet that it is significantly more than most private workers pay towards their pensions. Now after 23 years of fairly expensive contributions the plan is to significantly change the pension I have been paying for. I think I have a “right” (to use your term) to object to this.

Oh, by the way; I am not in a union.

Rant over people!