Public workers protest over pensions

Hundreds of UK public sector workers last month attended a TUC-organised lobby of Parliament to express their anger to MPs over government plans to cut pensions and raise the retirement age.

The government wants to raise the public sector retirement age from 60 to 65 and the age at which people can take early retirement from 50 to 55.

The UNISON public services union said this would affect many workers "who typically take early retirement before 55 due to the stress of their jobs, or who have accumulated enough benefits from service to have the option."

The union pointed out that under the proposed changes:

* a council refuse collector who had worked for 40 years on £12,000 a year would lose £1,534 pension;

* an environmental health officer on 23 years would see their pension fall by £1,458 annually; and

* an NHS ambulance worker on £21,000 a year with 36 years' service would be £846 worse off.

General secretary Dave Prentis said: "MPs have voted themselves one of the most generous pensions schemes in Europe. The fat cats of industry award themselves pensions that look like lottery numbers - the sort of pensions their workforce can only dream about."

Meanwhile public sector workers give a lifetime of service, putting up with lower pay and conditions, "so they should expect to have dignity in retirement ... They should not have to rely on means-tested benefits."