To Have and To Hold
Tomorrow lots of public service workers in England and Wales will be going on strike - in a dispute over pensions.
Now this row affects different groups of workers in different ways.
At the moment some groups are better off than others - because some groups have much better pension arrangements that others.
So don't be fooled into thinking that this is an egalitarian fight for equal rights - or a battle to help the low paid - nothing could be further from the truth.
For some of the unions involved it is about 'to have and hold' - the much more favourable conditions enjoyed by the members that they represent.
So I thought I'd ask myself a few questions - about some of the key issues at stake in the dispute.
Do I support the retention of 'final salary' pension schemes?
No I don't - because they favour the better paid.
Do I support teachers and civil servants being allowed to retire at 60?
No I don't - because they are already much better paid than genuinely low paid workers who have to work on to at least 65.
Do I support an increase in the normal age of retirement?
Yes, I do - so long as it applies equally to everyone.
Do I support an increase in pension contributions for public service workers to help meet the costs of their pension schemes?
Yes, I do - but only for employees more than £20,000 a year because thay have been doing much better than their lower paid colleagues for many years.
Do I support a cap on the practice of paying tax free pension lump sums?
Yes, I do - lump sum payments should be limited to a maximum of £50,000 - at present these amounts are hugely inflated because of the 'final salary' scheme approach - and the payments involved are beyond the dreams of most workers.
Now this row affects different groups of workers in different ways.
At the moment some groups are better off than others - because some groups have much better pension arrangements that others.
So don't be fooled into thinking that this is an egalitarian fight for equal rights - or a battle to help the low paid - nothing could be further from the truth.
For some of the unions involved it is about 'to have and hold' - the much more favourable conditions enjoyed by the members that they represent.
So I thought I'd ask myself a few questions - about some of the key issues at stake in the dispute.
Do I support the retention of 'final salary' pension schemes?
No I don't - because they favour the better paid.
Do I support teachers and civil servants being allowed to retire at 60?
No I don't - because they are already much better paid than genuinely low paid workers who have to work on to at least 65.
Do I support an increase in the normal age of retirement?
Yes, I do - so long as it applies equally to everyone.
Do I support an increase in pension contributions for public service workers to help meet the costs of their pension schemes?
Yes, I do - but only for employees more than £20,000 a year because thay have been doing much better than their lower paid colleagues for many years.
Do I support a cap on the practice of paying tax free pension lump sums?
Yes, I do - lump sum payments should be limited to a maximum of £50,000 - at present these amounts are hugely inflated because of the 'final salary' scheme approach - and the payments involved are beyond the dreams of most workers.
