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Fair pensions for all

Continued from page 12

On current legislation, teachers aged 34 or less would have to work to 68 to get a full pension. But if the state pension age rises in future, then the age at which teachers can get their teachers’ pension will rise too. The March 2012 budget confirmed a move towards an automatic link between pension age and life expectancy. This means new graduates could be working into their mid-70s.

There will be no guarantees: if your state pension age rises shortly before you expect to retire then according to the Government that’s tough – your pension age goes up too. We think this is wrong, teachers shouldn’t be chasing a moving target but should know when they can retire.

Fair pensions for all

The NUT believes in fair pensions for all, with a decent state pension and good quality occupational pensions in both the private and public sectors. Private sector employers and the Government, using the recession as a reason, have attacked occupational pensions. We will not allow teachers, other workers or pensioners to have their pensions slashed to pay for an economic crisis they did not create. We believe now is the time for the teacher unions to work together.

• Dr Nick Kirby is NUT Principal Officer, pensions.

We asked teachers what they’d like to say to Mr Gove…

Young teachers know that our pension money goes into the Treasury and we would like a government valuation of our scheme. Also, if teachers are to work until they are 68 what hope is there for young teachers coming into the profession?

Teaching is a social, emotional and intellectual job – we do more than just teach. We are there for the children but we need energy and passion to do it – and not until age 68!

Elizabeth Robson, Addey & Stanhope secondary special school, Lewisham, London

We don’t want to go on strike – we’ve been forced into it. We’re representing not only teachers but workers across the public sector for reasons that will affect everyone. 

 If we are not vocal in our protest then Government can legitimately say people are accepting their proposals, which is not true.

Jeffery Boakye, English teacher at Twyford CE High School, Ealing, London

I’d like to point out to Michael Gove that it costs quite a lot of money to train a teacher and I don’t believe any teacher is going to work as long as I have worked – 34 years. It will wear them out.

Susan Crawley, primary teacher in Barking & Dagenham, London

Think again! Turn again Gove! We don’t want the deal where we work until we are 68 – teachers can’t do it en masse full time and they shouldn’t be forced to. Neither should they be making us pay for the bankers’ problems – the holes left by bankers. Don’t use our pensions to fill those gaps.

John McGee, retired NUT association secretary, Isle of Wight

For more information…

… go to www.teachers.org.uk/pensions. It’s vital we secure decent teachers’ pensions and fair pensions for all.