Tackling the bloat; Public-sector pensions.

From: The Economist (US) | Date: September 17, 2005 | Copyright information

Why the government cannot duck public-sector pensions reform

OVER the past few years, Labour's spending splurge has made the public sector the place to work. Since 2000, employment has grown by 10% compared with 2% in the private sector. Earnings have risen by 25% compared with 20% in the private sector, according to official figures released on September 14th.

But pay is a modest draw compared with the lure of pensions. For one thing, final-salary schemes, which provide benefits linked to end-of-career earnings and years of service, are still open to new employees in the ...

Read all of this article with a FREE trial to HighBeam Research

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

McAllister investigates: Public sector pension schemes - Reform or revolt?
; ...staff to the private sector. Alison O'Conne...argued that public sector pensions...pensions in the private sector is due to...that the public sector avoids. The public sector are exempt...bureaucracy of the private sector such as raising...
View From London: Why the public sector is taking the flak again from the Treasury
; ...growth in the public sector has exceeded...growth in the private sector but, more...mystery. While public sector pay increases...those in the private sector through the...gains in the private sector. Working in the public sector has become...
Is entrepreneurship a dirty word in the public sector?
; ...dismiss the public sector as not being...high flying private sector. On many fronts the public sector in Australia...write-off the public sector as being inherently...partnering with the private sector to deliver major...demonstrates how the public ...
Does it pay to work in the public sector?
; ...reducing lower-paid public sector workers to the...their worst-paid private sector counterparts...story. On average, public sector workers are still...paid than are private sector workers. In 1994...employees in the private sector. Looking at simple...pay, ...
Women win in public sector pay
; THE PUBLIC sector pays better than the private sector, with women faring...differential between public sector and private sector pay has narrowed...Unqualified men in the public sector now earn the same as private-sector counterparts, ...
Why the public sector is taking the flak again from the Treasury ; BUSINESS
; ...growth in the public sector have exceeded jobs growth in the private sector but, more often...chart shows, while public sector pay increases...with those in the private sector through the 1990s...eased. Ever since, public sector pay has more than...with ...
Public sector too big, admits McConnell
; ...size of the private sector, not shrink the public sector. Mr McConnell...shrinking the public sector, but by growing the private sector." And he added...of a growing private sector but insisting that the public sector could help...
Concern over economy as public sector slips further ahead on pay
; ...is that the public sector becomes a...are that the private sector suffers. The...growth of the public sector and the Executive...s fragile private sector economy...working in the public sector than in the private sector.
Swinney urged to pull plug on 'drain' of public sector final salary pensions
; ...switching the public sector over to defined...employed by the private sector. These schemes...to scale back public sector spending and pump...wealth-creating" private sector. David Watt, director...Scotland, agreed that public sector final salary ...
News: Pensions Corp eyes up public sector liabilities.
; ...Deficits in the public sector far outweigh...deficits in the private sector, and public sector organisations...questioned whether public sector bodies would...the same way as private sector schemes. Clive...compared to the private sector. We ...