Public sector - Pensions

[maisiejoe123]

AIBU - to get irritated by the public sector bleating that they are being picked on with regard to their final salary pension schemes and being asked to retire at 65 as opposed to 60.

Why are they any different from others? I would love to retire at 60 but my company has moved the retirement date to 65. The state pension age has also moved. I understand all of this and whilst I am not happy (dont want to chase my retirement!)I accept that things need to change.

And they plan to strike???

Tbh - your career changes constantly, just because you joined a company 20-30 years ago doesnt mean that nothing changes. I work in the private sector but have worked in the public sector and my t&c's have changed. You either accept it or prepare to move. Its not a job for life

So, why are they planning to strike?

I don't think peopel are "bleating". They are arguing against the changes to their pensions. Wouldn't you argue against your employer proposing to reduce your terms and conditions? Its just human self interest.

I do think though that some articles and comments about public sector pensiosn are very inaccurate and I totally understand public sector workers getting annoyed at this (I don't work for public sector).

So for example, articles often talk about public sector pensions as if there is one scheme with same benefits. In reality there are lots of different public sector pension schemes all funded differently and with different benefits - some much better than others.

www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/5/1/tps_whywerestrikingleaflet.pdf

my first attempt at a link so forgive me if its not worked.

As Mutt said, because we're being screwed. Anyone in similar position is being screwed - as are you by the sounds of it too?

There is no one single publlic sector scheme

Not all public sector employees are on a final salary scheme

The 'gold plated' civil service pensions have for many years fallen short of some of best private sector schmes

Not all the public sector are taking strike action

Strike action is a last resort

You may think it's bleating. Others would say it's standing up for ourselves and for others - new entrants are being offered utterly shoddy terms and conditions.

I already get paid peanuts for the job, now this.

I work in the public sector and know other people who do also in different areas. Not one person has mentioned pensions to me. People are more concerned with redundancies in most LEAs. Who exactly has been 'bleating' to you OP?

People I know who work in public sector are much more concerned about redundancies too. But I do know somone 5 years away from retirement who is understandably concerned taht their retirement could be affected.

Having worked in both sectors, I can firmly say that public sector pensions are a major perk that help retain staff in pretty tough working circumatances. Its a well known fact they are good, which is why a lot of people choose public sector. To take them away/ change the goal posts is wrong imho when they are a major reason why people choose public over private.

However, flexi time, overtime pay etc is also a major perk and i believe makes up for the difference in public and private sector salaries.

In my experience the majority of private sector employees work a lot of unpaid overtime compared to public sector who get paid for it. (my experience is the police force and housing by the way)

Yet I now work for a private sector company which has the same perks!

well quite - you would be absolutely gutted at that stage of your career - who wouldn't?

Mrsvidic - expect a lot of teachers to disagree with you about unpaid overtime!

Also public sector don't get perks that others take for granted. This is from the small e.g. have to pay for own Xmas parties to large e.g. overtime in most public sector jobs is unheard of.

Also apart from very senior managers like CEO's, no company car, no BUPA, no subsidised gyms's - just some of the perks that many private sector employees get. And as you get older as I am, private health insurance especially can become a major perk. I have two friends who have had expensive operations paid for through private health insurance.

I really think in the debate about public sector pensiosn we should be considering the whole range of benefits to work out if it is fair.

I don't see why the public should have to pay towards the public sector pensions.

That is in effect what was/is happening.

They pay in X amount but get double back, doesn't work like that anywhere else so why should it work like that in the public sector? It shouldn't

Paid overtime doesn't really happen nowadays MrsVidic - in my area the grades who used to have to do shiftwork/weekend work had their terms and conds changed a long timea ago so it was built into contracts eg work 1 weekend in 3 or whatever.

Managers all do unpaid overtime and always have done. Any overtime for v junior grades that may relate to a particular project have to be budgeted for in advnace and is pretty rare nowadays.

I am a civil servant. I'm not bleating, just annoyed that, as others have said, that the contract I signed apparently binds me but not my employer.

I'm more annoyed by the successful public perception con trick that has transformed anger over shitty treatment in the private sector and shitty treatment of workers by the government, into resentment of actual public sector workers.

Absolutely - well said stillfrazzled. I am utterly perplexed and angry that we have a major financial meltdown caused by arrogrant overpaid bankers but now it is public sector workers who are portrayed as greedy, over-indulged and somehow "enemies of enterprise" - in other words, to blame. I have worked over 20 years in the civil service when I could quite frankly have followed university friends into much higher paid careers. I have loved my job but also valued the future security offered by my pension. The people I know retiring well in advance of 60 (some only in their 40s) are all private sector employees. The real difference in pensions seems to me to be not only between private and public, but between the well off at the top and the rest who have to make do on utterly inadequate provision. I can of course accept the need for some changes, but feel completely fed up at being scapegoated for things that we not my fault! Perhaps I should stop taking it personnally though....!

Well if overtime is a thing of the past I stand corrected! Sorry, I forgot about teachers, never worked in that area. Defo shouldn't further move the goal posts then

The problem is that we all accept that there need to be cuts and that the golden years of employment free of the fear of being made redundant etc are long gone. People are carrying out more and more for the same and sometimes less pay.

I no one who is retiring at 40+ that works in the private sector. They must be multi millionaires to be able to do that!

Also, someone please correct me but the reduancies packages for people who many years service in the public sector are likely to be very attractive.

"I don't see why the public should have to pay towards the public sector pensions"

1. Most public sector employees get paid a lower rate that they could command in the private sector. This is balanced against greater job seurity and a reasonable pension scheme.
2. The average public sector pension is £4,000 a year - not exactly gold plated.
3. Public sector workers are pissed off with being scapegoated for a recession that was not of their making, but when they complain they are accused of "bleating".

4.Yes there is waste in the public sector, and there are a small number of people getting rich and taking huge payouts and pensions such as those constantly quoted in the news. The average civil servant is an Admin Asst or Admin Officer with a salary between £13,110 rising to £17,778 (DWP figures.

1. I have been a civil servant for 26 years, I took out my mortgage (following divorce) based on what my terms and conditions showed my I would earn up to age 65 and then what my pension would be. I am under a 90 day consultation period for redundancy, and if I am good enough to keep my job then they want to pay me in a different way, cut my pension entitlement and then pay me increases linked to the CPI not RPI even though I will still have a mortgage. Why the hell shouldn't I be angry - I not bleating about it I am roaring from the rooftops.

In local government in most jobs overtime has never been available. Exceptions are some manual workers like bin men.

Redundancy packages in public sector are not very attractive - much much less than other companies who pay more than statutory. Exception is senior managers - and it is their redundancy packages that you read about in the press.

YANBU

Conditions, benefits, perks and contracts of employment change all of the time for private sector workers. Its a shame that this should happen to anyone but it does

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