Criticism over pension schemes adopted by people in civil service jobs and other public sector positions has been labelled as “unfair”.
Both Prospect and the Trades Union Congress have been critical of a recent report by the Public Sector Pensions Commission, which suggested that radical reform was necessary as public sector pensions were more costly than first thought.
Both unions have said that the pensions schemes for public sector employees are still significantly lower than those of some of the private sector’s highest earners, whose post-retirement pay has not been called into question.
Dai Hudd, Prospect general secretary, said: “[Many top directors] are set to earn a yearly average pension of £3,879 per week – more than many retired public sector workers will get in a year.
“Yet the people who provide the glue that holds society together are portrayed as the villains of the pensions piece.”
The commission believes public sector pension schemes could cost the government up to £35 billion during the coming financial year.
