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Last week, the government announced its proposed changes to civil service pensions. The retirement age will rise from 60 to 65, and the 'final salary' pension will be replaced by a new 'whole career average' pension.

In other words, civil service staff will have to work longer to get less. They are left with uncertainty about how they will get by in retirement, after a longer and more exhausting working life.

Other public sector workers face similar attacks - teachers, local council staff, firefighters and others. In fact, it seems that the only public employees guaranteed a comfortable reitrement are MPs and judges!

Hackney TUC believes that everyone should be entitled to dignity and a decent standard of living in retirement. At our last meeting, we were pleased to hear from the civil service trade union, PCS, that it is working to co-ordinate a one-day general strike in support of pensions.

Hackney TUC will bring together trade unionists in the borough for united resistance against attacks on public servants' pensions. Please get involved.

Janine Booth
President
Hackney TUC