I am getting rather fed up of hearing on the TV and reading in the media, of public service workers and their trade unions moaning about proposed Government changes to their pensions.

Of course, no-one likes to have to accept any reduction to their future income but this is the real world and the current 'Gold Plated' pensions are clearly unsustainable. The term 'Gold Plated' is contentious, but I believe apt, for public servants pensions are backed by the Government and barring any financial disaster on the scale of the Greek situation; are guaranteed. How different is the situation in the private sector; may I explain? My personal private pension, earned through contributions from myself and employer over many years, and previously thought of as sound and reliable has recently been reduced by around 10% because the fund paying it has become insolvent. No-one told me this could happen whilst I was employed and paying contributions.

Now, I have no say in the matter and no union to protest on my behalf, but I am thankful that the trustees have managed to keep the fund afloat at all. Sadly no 'Gold Plating' for my pension, nor any reduction in my bills; I still have to pay my full council tax commitment, ironically a proportion of which goes towards paying public service pensions. Hovever, as I wrote earlier, this is the real world and unfortunately it doesn't always run the way we would like!

Maybe the teachers and other public servants would prefer the Government not to take action but to sit back and wait until there are insufficient funds available to pay their future pensions and then watch the whole 'house of cards' come tumbling down. It is unreasonable to expect continuous bail outs from the public purse.

Arthur Haymes, Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle