Two Tier Workforce
The headteachers' trade union in England and Wales - the National Association of Headteachers - is threatening industrial action over plans to introduce career average pension schemes.
How predictable - because final salary schemes mainly benefit the better paid council employees - and do nothing for the low paid.
In fact the final salary arrangement means that low paid workers - are actually subsidising their much better paid colleagues.
Because the average pay of a school cleaner, a school meals worker or a classroom assistant - stays pretty constant over the course of their working lives.
Whereas a headteacher might become a 'heedie' for only ten years - yet their pension benefits are calculated on the much higher final salary - both the tax free lump sum and monthly pension payments.
How can that be fair?
Well the answer is that it's not remotely fair or sensible - and that's why a career average scheme would put everyone on the same footing.
Under a career average scheme you get out roughly what you put in over the years - whereas a final salary scheme clearly favours the higher paid.
Now I can see why the National Association of Headteachers is defending the present set up - because it directly benefits their members - and they're not looking beyond the length of their own noses.
But why do all the other unions remain silent - where are all these left-wing socialists when you need them - to rise up and speak up about the unfairness of it all?
Nowhere to be seen.
How predictable - because final salary schemes mainly benefit the better paid council employees - and do nothing for the low paid.
In fact the final salary arrangement means that low paid workers - are actually subsidising their much better paid colleagues.
Because the average pay of a school cleaner, a school meals worker or a classroom assistant - stays pretty constant over the course of their working lives.
Whereas a headteacher might become a 'heedie' for only ten years - yet their pension benefits are calculated on the much higher final salary - both the tax free lump sum and monthly pension payments.
How can that be fair?
Well the answer is that it's not remotely fair or sensible - and that's why a career average scheme would put everyone on the same footing.
Under a career average scheme you get out roughly what you put in over the years - whereas a final salary scheme clearly favours the higher paid.
Now I can see why the National Association of Headteachers is defending the present set up - because it directly benefits their members - and they're not looking beyond the length of their own noses.
But why do all the other unions remain silent - where are all these left-wing socialists when you need them - to rise up and speak up about the unfairness of it all?
Nowhere to be seen.
