As the National Union Of Public Workers (NUPW) celebrates Public Workers’ Week over the next six days, general secretary Richard Greene is lauding the achievements of civil servants.
Speaking to the Daily Nation following a church service at Calvary Moravian Church on Roebuck Street, The City, yesterday, he said it was important to highlight the strides public workers made over the years as “no good Government policy can be executed without the good work of public workers and this is a time to acknowledge that”.
Greene said there will also be a panel discussion, general conference and launch of insurance of products for union members.
He said one of the main issues the union will be working towards is a review of all pension arrangements for the Public Service. He reiterated that singling out public officers was not fair to the whole pension system.
Last week, Greene, responding to the 2022 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals, said he was concerned about Government’s move to change the full pension qualification for public officers from 33 and a third years of service to 40.
Back then he said that while it was not clear when the measure would take effect, it meant that public servants would have to work longer and make adjustments in preparation for retirement, as moving from 33 and a third years would disadvantage those who will now be eligible at 40 years.
“Even if you work 40 years, you still get your pension calculated at 33 and a third years, which is the maximum. If you work for 20 years, [pension] would be calculated at that amount, but if you work for 35 years, it would be calculated at 33 and a third. If you work longer than 33 and a third years, your pension would be based on your salary, which would be a bit higher. Moving it to 40 years now could disadvantage some public officers, who would now reach their maximum 60 years later than they would have previously,” he said then. (SB)
