Pensions row

THE government’s pathetic proposals for public service pensions (your reports) must be rejected by all union negotiators.

The government’s first attempt four weeks ago was to offer older workers the “concession” of keeping their existing normal retirement age. This contemptible attempt to divide and rule could never be accepted by any union that wants to keep its younger members.

Now government ministers are trying to pretend to low-paid NHS workers that they are looking after their interests by raising the threshold for increased employee contributions to £26,500 (for one year only).

The government needs to focus on the estimated £120 billion lost to the Exchequer each year through tax avoidance by rich individuals and companies.

No trade union that wants to retain any credibility should be prepared to negotiate on the government’s attacks on public service pensions as long as offshore accounts and tax havens remain legal.

Let those whose greed caused the crisis pay for it – and that wasn’t public service workers.

JOHN DENNIS

Secretary

Dumfries & District Trades Union Council