Why did those at top not see problem of ageing population?

From: H Marjorie Gill, Clarence Drive, Menston.

TEN years ago, a friend retired from his teaching job at the grand old age of 55. When I asked him who was going to pay his pension when he reached the age of 105, he didn’t understand what I was talking about.

Perhaps I was exaggerating, but it is now becoming clear that such generous rights were never justified. If I could see the problem of our ageing population then, surely those in authority could do so also.

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Unfortunately our previous Government was too beholden to the trade unions to tackle this problem.

From: Bernard Robinson, Midland Terrace, Hellifield, Near Skipton.

I SEE that the militant union leaders are rearing their heads again. I don’t think they have any concern for their members, they only think about their own egos.

I was working in Birmingham when Red Robbo and his cronies were wrecking the car industry. We had ex-British Leyland workers coming for jobs. At break times we had discussions about the car industry. They said that they could see what was happening, but if they complained, they would be black-listed and would never get a job again anywhere where unions were involved.

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Then we saw Arthur Scargill wreck the mining industry through trying to be a dictator.

Now we have Bob Crow trying to call the shots. These people do not appear to be able to understand that when things get too expensive in this country we will buy them from abroad and if they can be made cheaper abroad, that is where the jobs will go.

I think the greatest dangers to the welfare of this country are the militant union leaders and the two Eds – Miliband and Balls.

From: John Dawson, Gainsborough Court, Skipton.

THE public sector unions threatening strike action to protect their pension arrangements are out of touch with reality and what has already happened in the private sector.

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I am a pension trustee for five schemes all closed not just to new members but to future accrual. They were changed from a final salary to a career average basis years ago.

I do also have both a teachers’ pension and a private sector pension.

My teachers’ pension paid out from age 60 but although I did take my private pension at 60 this was with a four per cent deduction per year to 65 the normal retirement age. My private scheme was closed to new members in 1995, subsequently changed to career average with increased employee contributions and eventually closed to future accrual.

Such changes have been inevitable as life expectancy increases and scheme liabilities increase, making the schemes unaffordable for companies.

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Public sector employees need to wake up to reality and recognise the need to retire later, to make bigger contributions and to move to a career average basis.

From: Philip Smith, New Walk, Beverley, East Yorkshire.

AT last someone is going to take on the public services. The poisoned chalice has fallen to Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander and if he pulls this off, the biggest obstacle to the country’s debt crisis will be gone (Yorkshire Post, June 20).

I don’t want to pay for a public sector that is easier, underworked, overpaid and in many cases unnecessary in comparison with the private sector. Why do I say this?

In the real world of the private sector you have to make a profit to survive, not simply spend other people’s money (council tax).

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In the real world you generally work until you are 65 and you don’t get an inflated pension.

In the real world you are not paid an average of 40 per cent more to do the same job as someone else.

In the real world if your job was essential you would agree with your fellow employees that everyone take a 10 per cent cut in wages. If 10 per cent of the people were unnecessary you would make them redundant, which is what is happening in the public sector.

I don’t want to continue to shell out for this very expensive, country-crippling, unfair facade and I suspect that those employed in the private sector don’t want to either.

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