“I retired on my gold-plated pension and had to come back to work again because it is not enough to live on. After 15 years as a medical secretary my pension is just over £250 a month – that plus my state pension just about pays my rent,” NHS worker Carol Proctor said as she rallied for pensions fairness in Cambridge.
The communications officer at UNISON Cambridge health branch said that she had found it difficult to explain the pensions issues to members but once they understood the issues they were “incensed”.
“The Labour government pensions review has done everything that needed to be done to public sector pensions. It is difficult to get across to members that what the government ministers are proposing is a further unnecessary measure. But once they do understand it they are horrified.
“I think there will be log-jam of older people hanging on to their jobs for dear life and so not freeing up openings for young people who will have no jobs and have to live on benefits. So there will be no savings in the end.
“I am angered that MPs’ pensions after 15 years are over twice as much as a band 6 nurses’ pension after 40 years.”
All the main entrances to Addenbrooke’s hospital were picketed this morning, except for A&E and oncology, which the unions agreed not to picket.
Ms Proctor added: “The trust have been very good and have allowed us to picket on the premises. We regret having to take action, but no way is this aimed at the patients or the trust.
“It seems to me that government ministers have no intention of listening. They want a fight,” she says. “It’s nonsense that we’re all in it together.”