Letter: Work ethic

Recalling my time in industry, this is how things would look if public sector "culture" was replaced by private sector "culture" and the whole operation run in "survival mode".

The lower pay rates would be kept, but all managers would reapply for their jobs to a panel of local businessmen, with successful candidates re-employed on new, lower, salaries.

Departments supporting spurious Labour and EU legislation will be cut and a manager's pay reflect their ability to reduce their budget/headcount while improving services. To keep the title "manager", they must have at least 20 people under their direct control, with all non-performers retrained or sacked.

As regards pensions, pay more, work longer and receive what can be afforded. Welcome to the real world, ladies and gentlemen of the public sector.

(Dr) John Cameron

Howard Place

St Andrews

How "fresh" are the ideas to tackle the so-called "pensions crisis"? (Letters, 1 July).

They exemplify a conservative approach to economic problems typified in the crisis of the 1930s.

What are called public sector pension reforms will result in cutting the purchasing power of thousands of people.

Freezing public sector pay and at the same time increasing pension contributions means poorer consumers and "under-consumption". Won't a reduction in public sector workers' income have a knock-on effect on other sectors?

A graphic example is the misery of not a few retailers with a number now going into administration. Isn't the basic problem a maldistribution of income which can be dealt with by progressive taxation?

Ellis Thorpe

Old Chapel Walk

Inverurie, Aberdeenshire