I feel I must respond to the letter from Roger Tucker (Monday, October 31) regarding the ‘public sector’ issues.

Like most people, he believes the spin that we in the public sector receive gold-plated pensions. Well, if you consider an average pension for a woman of £3,800 p.a. as gold-plated, then, yes, we do, or £5,300 for a man, then yes, we do. Even the Government, through Police Minister Nick Herbert, admit that we do not get these gold-plated pensions, so don’t believe all you read, Roger.

I am aware of the overall picture within the public sector, however, I can only speak on behalf of my members, within the police service and I can assure Roger and your readers, that my members do not sit around all day drinking tea, or abuse the postal system, and do work 24/7, including Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and bank holidays, and weekends and nights, for a relatively low wage, the average being £22,000 p.a, and now have to suffer a two-year wage freeze, a 50 per cent increase in pensions contribution, which goes straight to the Treasury, not towards their pension. We are being cut to the bone, because of a decrease in Government funding, my members are being made redundant, not the police officers, however, the workload is still the same, indeed, increasing, so there are fewer people to do the increased workload, in what is already a very stressful environment, as most of the emergency services are.

As Roger has been away from the organisation all these years, I am willing to extend an invitation to him to come back and meet me, and I will be more than happy to show him around.

ROD MATHESON UNISON Branch Secretary