SIR – The case for the strikes highlighting the proposed alterations to public sector pensions appears particularly unreasonable when final salary pensions in the private sector are now almost non-existent. When the general economy was strong and public sector salaries were in many cases fairly low the generous pension arrangements and early retirement ages for some employees were not unreasonable.

However, bearing in mind that these pensions are paid for by the population in general – most of whom do not have the luxury of early retirement ages and final salary pension arrangements – the proposed strikes, which it is suggested are only the beginning, are quite unjustified.

Surely it is obvious to most of us that as the population lifespan increases an extended retirement age makes sense, as do the suggested alterations to the public sector terms of service.

One contribution to the reduction in the the cost of teachers and others’ salaries might be to no longer fund the cost of union officials, who it appears, are in many cases paid by their employers to perform their union functions.

Surely this expense should be borne by the unions themselves, perhaps by reducing the over-generous salaries and perks (recently revealed) enjoyed by the fat cat top officials of these organisations.

G WALTON
Worcester