Promoting inequity - Promise on bus workers’ pensions

TRANSPORT Minister Paschal Donohoe’s promise to protect bus workers’ pension expectations if they are employed by a company that secures 10% of the State-owned bus company’s routes is in stark contrast to Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s raid on private pension funds.

It also contrasts spectacularly with the indifference shown by this Government to the plight faced by tens of thousands of private sector workers and their dependents whose retirement looks like a struggle to survive because pension funds have collapsed. Such a prospect would not be tolerated by a public sector worker, nor should it be, and that may be why a previous government threw a multi-million rescue package at several struggling semi-state pension funds.

Mr Donohoe’s guarantee would condemn the privatisation project to failure as it is unlikely any investor would accept such a heavy obligation. Why would they if they can employ other workers on zero-hours contracts?

However, should 10% of the company be privatised it would not be surprising if a number of bus workers were offered redundancy terms and an early pension. The taxpayer would, in effect, have to pay a ransom to facilitate privatisation. The bus workers cannot be criticised for trying to protect their position but the episode highlights again how utterly divided this society has become on worker protections, particularly on pensions. A dangerous and divisive trend continues.

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