Wirral council workers' pensions are the real problem

3:52pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Letters

THE constant publicity about service cuts masks the real problem that aspects of staffing remuneration in local councils are horrendously out of touch with what hard-pressed council tax paying citizens should be expected to pay for.

Civil servants have far greater job security than the private sector, are paid more generous redundancy settlements, and they continue to enjoy guaranteed final salary pensions that are at least twice as large as private sector pensioners with comparable contributions, 25% of all council tax goes toward funding employee pensions and the majority of the rest on staff wages.

The manipulation of low interest rates has destroyed the value of private pension annuities while local authority pensions while local authority pensions remain guaranteed.

Private sector workers are desperately trying to repair their pensions but they can't do that until after they have paid 25% of their council tax into Wirral Council's employee pension scheme.

The payment of staff wages and pensions is the top priority of the council - don't kid yourself that it's the services they offer to the public.

Les Spencer, Saughall Massie

Comments(10)

Hugo1008 says...
8:19pm Tue 12 Mar 13

It is inevitable that the generous pensions paid to public service workers in comparison with private sector workers will have to be rationalised at some point, I like many others in the population just want to see the changes start at the top end of the salary scales.

One good way to do this is to stop all percentage pay rises, there must be a system of equating cost of living rises to that of the national wage level, and that should be applied across the board.

Yes this will erode pay differentials and that should be the course for the next five years, and this would make a more level playing field for all concerned, and a huge lowering of the long term pay, pensions, black hole cost to the country.

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Hon says...
9:11am Wed 13 Mar 13

Its a real shame the op didn't realise that final salary pensions are being scrapped for local government workers who will be moving onto the norm which is an adverage salary scheme with more contributions required. So not as golden as the op assumes.

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uncatom says...
10:10am Wed 13 Mar 13

Local authority terms and condition aka Whitely Council are agreed nationwide the pension is an integral part of this because generally the pay scales were lower than private industry the pension became a leveller eg; poor pay decent pension,the attempts by this odious insidious government to make scapegoats for all the ills that befall us to be placed at at the door of certain sections of the community has been successful,people actually believe their propaganda.I have a friend who has just lost his job through redundancy,he has worked all his life with five years left to go before he retires, now classed by this I'am alright jack government as a ner do well burden on the state an unemployed leech.

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DerekSnowden says...
1:21pm Wed 13 Mar 13

It is not the pensions of the normal council workers that are a burden on the local community but the very over generous pensions received by the so called leaders of the council coupled with their very over generous wages. Too often we hear them complain that if they were in the private sector they would earn more and that by working for our council they are doing us a favour!! The reality is that these supposedly so called leaders coupled with our Councillors over inflated expenses would not be allowed in any private sector company especially with all the mistakes, waste of money schemes and incorrect use of resources they continue to make
So I say to Les Spencer, leave the normal workers alone, and attack the overpaid leaders and councillors who after all, are supposed to give good guidance to the council workers, as these 'leaders' are the reason Wirral Council is in such a mess!

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ianscue says...
4:03pm Wed 13 Mar 13

The reason for 'constant publicity about service cuts' is that many vulnerable people will be adversley affected by them, and are rightly upset and angry, and want to heard.

The reason these cuts are having to be implemented is due to council funding being slashed by central government.

Trying to link service cuts to public sector workers pensions is indeed a feat of mental gymnastics.

By the way, council workers pay into their pension scheme, and also pay council tax, by your reasoning perhaps they should ask for a rebate!

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moretonboy says...
8:58am Thu 14 Mar 13

I sense a hint of sour grapes from Les. Yes, NOW, public sector pensions are the thing to have, as opposed to a lot of private sector. However, for years the majority of public sector workers endured, low pay, minuscule pay rises, etc to, finally, if they made it to retirement age, get a liveable pension. The recent media reports on the size of the public sector pensions, seems to only inform about the minority, ie civil servants, who retire with an annual pension in 6 figures. I worked for the NHS, and my pension, after 40 years, just covers our utility bills and the increasing cost of living. The answer is to do something about private sector pension schemes, and not to penalise the public sector. The suggestion that the public sectors is wrong is just spite and jealousy in my eyes.

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bickyboy says...
9:04am Thu 14 Mar 13

Ah...the old "race to the bottom" argument. "Because we have rubbish wages and pensions, you should have them too". Oh, how George Osborne would love the above letter.

Its taken decades of solidarity, sacrifice and sheer hard graft for public service workers to gain the conditions which they're hanging onto by a thread...but worry not, Mr Spencer: if this government has its way, civil servants and council workers will be supplementing their plunging incomes by sending their kids to clean chimneys for posh people.

"Odious, insidious government"...yes uncatom, spot on, although I would add "malicious and divisive".

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moretonboy says...
11:19am Fri 15 Mar 13

Well said bicky. For years, I was laughed at by my mates who worked in the private sector, as their weekly wage was twice as much as mine, now they are either have to work until 100, or watching Jeremy Kyle (or appearing on it) because they blew their wages and ended p with little or no pensions because of, as you say,"Odious, insidious governments". Who's laughing now.

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uncatom says...
2:09pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Well said bickyboy and moreton boy, few people understand, and just as this government intended are now pointing fingers and in fighting while the real culprits enjoy their ill gotten gains,recent news today,the House of Lords wants to reduce the overtime bill for staff so they can carry on with their subsidised meals,outrageous!

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maryjanetoo says...
7:54pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Just seen the news that the moreton special needs club is to be shut! The people who use the service were in tears, what will they do now? In my opinion if money is to be saved why dont they reduce the number of councillors in this borough..... why do we need so many to do so little? Lesley Rennie who is meant to be our councillor in Wallasey lives in Bebington! Theyve all got their greedy snouts in the trough and are milking the gravy train for all its worth......Shame on them......they are all rubbish..

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