As I write this piece the industrial action scheduled for the 30th of November is still on.

The spokesman for this Conservative dominated government, Francis Maude, claims that our pension arrangements are unsustainable and that we must work longer, pay more and receive less in retirement (the method used to uprate pensions has already been changed from the RPI to the less generous CPI).

I am 58 and will be expected to pay an extra £80 per month from next April. However, this sum will not be used to fund our pensions but to reduce the structural deficit. The situation is similar in local government where the increase in contributions will be used to keep the council tax down.

I will be supporting the strike to show my solidarity with younger colleagues who will not only be expected to work longer and to pay this stealth tax but can also look forward to any pay rises being below the rate of inflation and further job losses making it nigh impossible for them to perform their legal functions.

I must finish by returning to the hapless Mr Maude. It has been reported that he currently has a pension pot of £730,000 which means that he will receive an annual pension of £43,000. I leave it to the reader to form a judgement on the morals of this individual.

Support the action on
N30 and help to roll back
the attacks on our
conditions of service.