Teacher Pension - Strikes

[Pickers]

Right guys, as a mature and reasonable guy (these days), and a somewhat premature grumpy old man, I have been forced to pay particular attention to the issues surrounding public sector pension review.

Basically I want your opinion as members of the general public, do you support the decision of 2 teaching unions to strike next Thursday against the proposed changes to the Teacher Pension Scheme (henceforth known as the TPS), or so you feel that it is unjustified?

Here is what I know (in bullet form):

• There is not enough money in the public sector pension pot so cuts of one form or another are required.
• 3 years ago the TPS (part of the pot), was changed to address these issues with a promise to review and evaluate the changes this year to ensure it had done what is had required. In brief I believe one thing that changed was from a CPI to an RPI used to calculate and scale the pension.
• The change has (I believe) ensured that the TPS is self-sufficient and viable, HOWEVER based on recommendations from the Hutton reports that the public sector as a whole needs changing, the government has NOT done a formal apprasial of this revised TPS as (presumably) it knows it will show that the TPS is not operating at a loss.
• Teachers face a 3% rise in pension contributions, thats typically £100 less each month, with significantly reduced payout upon reaching the (also risen) retirement age of 67
• It has been noted that the military is the "black hole" of the pensions pot, as they can retire on full pension at 40 with little/no contributions (need to confirm this) and - based on a life expectancy of 85) draw 45 years worth of pension.

Basically teachers are taking another hit to subsidise the parts of the public sector pensions that are losing money.

Now this statement is my own opinion and clearly not fact: The goverenment know that teachers are timid about action such s striking, and certain public sectors workers cannot strike, so perhaps they assume teachers will sit back and take it.

Yet more opinion:- To be a teacher can take 4 years of FE. With risen tuition fees that a £35k debt that a teacher will be facing when they start their career. They also then will have to look at extortionate monthy pension contributions and seek further financial support to subside their reduced pension. I ask you, how is this going to entice good quality teachers?

I open this up for discussion...