[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

No not you in partic annie, the threads not about every little thing or past disputes from over 10yrs ago as that is irrelevant as to this current action.
Dangerous precident?... what by honoring the pensions that those paying in signed up to when they began their lifesaving career?
I'd worry more about what message it sends when the government can harness your retirement payments at will and hold you to ransom so you work till you drop in one of the most stressful demanding professions there is.
But THIS action doesn't affect many so it's easy to be blase about it and cast a critical eye over those who do a job that very few have the qualities needed to do.

Just try to imagine a private fire brigade, just for a second...... scary thought isn't it?

I think you're being sort of blind to the fact that NO ONE on this thread is applauding, defending or condoning the actions of the government or saying that it's in any way right, that it isn't a shambles... or that it doesn't need addressing. "Moving the goalposts" in any profession is something that seriously annoys me... the terms of the contract should be clear and fixed. If they want to change something, they can, but it should apply only to those signing up AFTER the change, who can then make an informed decision about whether or not they want to sign up.

Emergency services especially, it should be abundantly clear. A clear pensions structure, a clear retirement date set in stone upon starting employment, and on the flipside, a guarantee of NO strike action of any kind, ever.

I can fully appreciate that the government's actions regarding the fire service are going to mean that more lives are at risk in the long run. It needs to be fought against. There's no doubt about that. But strike action is outdated thinking... it's ineffective... and in the case of the emergency services, it's morally questionable.