Insurance picks up he tab

 

I think what is getting sorted is the previous "unfairness" and cost of pensions.......

some work for 40 years to get 50% salary as a pension

some work for 30 years to get 66% salary as a pension.

which pension would you like?

Shaun

 

Well if you pay for the pension yourself, you can ethically do it how you like.
The problem for me is when people in the public sector are picking up generous pensions with most of the input (and guaranteed results) at the expense of the (future) taxpayer.
It wouldn't be so bad if the public sector was small, but it is huge and I think employs about half the "working" () population.
As for public servants going on strike - don't get me started.

 

I'm with you, I am a public servant and the should ban striking in the public sector

 

the changes that are going through the fire brigade are similar to those imposed onto the police service. Our pensions have not been finalised yet, but have increased to 15% of your salary. The proposal currently being run is that service length will go up to 40 years service with no lump sum pay out at the end - just your standard two thirds salary.

The police of course can not strike and have no say in this (their union being toothless to say the least - 1% pay rise in the past 5 years with no prospect of any further increase for the foreseeable future.

I'm not sure the ins and outs of the fire service pensions, but i can imagine it being similar - and its a kick in the teeth for those looking to retire at a certain age as promised when they joined, to be now told that they have to work another 10 years for no benefits.

The fitness tests are also quite significant, as its away for the service to get rid of you for not being fit for duty. We have started these at our force and they are not age specific, i.e all ages, sexes etc have to pass the same test. You have 3 chances to pass during the same year and if you fail all 3, they class you as being unfit to fulfill your role as a constable and terminate your employment and hence stop your pension.

The interesting point of this test is that it does not make any difference if you are injured as a result of work - you have to pass this test, end of. Two lads on our shifts have injuries sustained from breaking up a pub fight, they needed surgery on damaged cartilage and were told to rest. This coincided with a fitness test and hence they have been marked down as 1 failure. If they still not fit by the end of the third test then they run the risk of loosing their job for being unable to fulfill their duties. There are now no 'back room' jobs for injured officers as all these posts are run by a private company who run on the bare minimum staff or zero hours staff, as they have to look after their profits.

Now the same will be the case for the fire brigade - they will all be subject to the same test and will loose their jobs if they can accomplish it. This is a good way for the government to get rid of older staff and not pay a higher pension pay out.

I can see why they are cheesed off

Another point that has come to light, service personnel (army etc) who have joined the brigade are possibly not able to commute their army pension across now or having it drastically reduced - another way to force you to stay longer in the fire brigade to an older age.

 

These constraints are the same for the military, fitness tests that must be passed or dismissal from the service may follow, and the change military pensions now means that they will now also be required to work to 60. Strangely enough, not only do they not strike, but they are also able to cover other strikes and shortfalls (eg G4S Olympics debacle).

 

The reason you cannot strike is because you lot were used by Thatcher to put down the miners strike in the 80's.

And remember, the miners were fighting for their jobs and livelihoods not just a pension.

 

I thought they were fighting for the right to do one of the worst and most dangerous jobs imaginable, and for the right of their children and grand children to do the same.
What would I know.

 

No it would just be contacted out like the bins or prisons. The neoliberal vision is about making markets even when they seem 'artificial'. The local government just ask for companies to bid for say a 5 year fire fighting contract, with all sorts of targets in the contact so they have incentives to fight fires 'well' or whatevr, response times, etc.

 

And save the tax payer a sh*t load of cash.

Brandon Lewis, fire minister for England, said: "The pension on offer to firefighters is one of the most generous in the public sector.

"After two years of discussions and improved terms firefighters will still get one of the most generous public service pensions available - £26,000 a year, when including the £7,000 state pension.

"Someone in the private sector would have to contribute twice as much to get the same pension."

There are people living on less, bringing up children and will never see such a pension.

 

It's a massive pension and they can claim from 55 I think? Still it's dwarfed by the pensions Doctors get.

Personally I'd feel extremely lucky if I can get my pension to £20k per year lol. It's all private, who know what it will be worth in 25 years?

 

The Doctors pension when factored with the amounts earned over their respective total careers would be absolutely no where near that.
I assume you have no problem with pensions reflecting earnings/contributions?

 

Lazy fecking Firemen!!

Sit around all day, get a call to fit Granny Smiths fire alarm, attend 5 false alarms and rescue a cat from a tree.

Do multiple jobs, because firefighting is very Part Time.

So what do they want now? OH, I see - they don't want to retire at 60!?

Well boooohoooooo ....... get off your collective fat rear ends and shut the F up!

Sack any lazy get who strikes ..... end of. Plenty more can hold a hose and play at being the beebaa sound.

 

Have we hit a raw nerve

 

I should say so!

Ever since the lazy gits said they were worth £35,000 and went on strike a few years ago I lost all respect for them!

They really are typical of the greed seen in some of the public service .... our children will be paying their fat pensions, when our children won't be able to retire until they are 80!

They really need a good kick up the rear end ............................... I would, seriously, get them all to sign a new contract - those who don't will be sacked.

I would pay them for the time they actually spend working, pay them well indeed, but just when they are actually doing something for their fat salaries!!

Other than that they continue with their other jobs and companies they run (while we are paying them!!).

It's a national disgrace on a grand scale ........ SACK THEM!

 

Pete, did your wife run off with a fireman or something?

 

I just think there is a 'pensions apartheid' between the public and private.

 

Wouldn't that be good .... she wants someone who has more time to give her and a lazy fireman has more dead time than I could ever imagine.

 

And she could get to slide down his pole too

 

You are dead right there mate
It is because pensions promised by today's politicians are paid for by the generation of tomorrow. Not only that, but they don't have to pay you your "contribution" unless you opt out - so win/win today and some one else can pick up the tab.
It's a bit grubby IMO, but that is just the way things are done.

 

Did yours run off with a doctor?

 

The early signs are there as they say!