The goverment keep singing praise about the minimum wage,but you cannot get it .THE TAX CODE IN THIS COUNTRY DOE`S NOT ALLOW YOU TO KEEP THE MONEY.Before raising the hourly rate they should raise the tax code so you can keep what you have already earned.THE TAX CODE ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO KEEP THE FIRST £100.

Next year the10p rate of tax will go.People on low income will suffer,I have retired early on ill health,so receive incapacity benefit+post office pension,So the First £2000 of my pension will be stopped at 20p in the pound(ie£400)not 10p in the pound(ie £200)as it is at the moment.Stephen Timms MP has told me my tax code will go up with inflation £225 next year,He cannot be very good at maths,as that gives me less than a £1 a week.

But isn't this the whole point that the Chancellor (and the First Minister of the Treasury) want to make to us 'useless pensioners'?

The harder they make it for people like us to survive either the cold of the winters or (not too far away I fear), the blistering heat of the summers the less pension cash they will be required to provide from thier coffers!

I am fed up with being treated as if I was something they had trodden in.... I've paid my dues, worked hard ALL my life, have never been 'out of work' and I DID expect a reasonable (not luxurious) standard of living in my old age.

Perhaps if so many companies paid a little less attention to the bleating (squealing) of their share holders, and paid a bit more attention to getting people back to work and earning a living wage, those same people (well most of 'em, but not all - alas) would now be supporting society with their contributions (as we've done for decades) and not find themselves forced into 'poverty levels' of pay with no security whatsoever allied to it.

alan johnson has put his name forward,Do`es he remember coming to E.D.O,he was trying to get the postman to stop there £75 bonus,so that others may get £20. his selling point was the ladies in the canteen will also get the bonus.I stood up and said if that is the case will the postman get a bonus on how many cake`s they sell. Sorry Alan Your Not For Me.

Why not any of the article headings in "Unite"

eg Liz Hodgkinson's HEALTH

I was interested in the suggestion of a cure for the common cold so followed various links. It turns out that avoidance is the best cure in particular washing hands frequently (to avoid viruses being transferred from others to oneself) and maintaining a certain distance. Echinachea also helps prevention, apparently (but is not really a cure). There is a certain commonality between this information and the discussion on the same page of Issue 351 and "Cleanliness is the key to staying healthy in hospital".

By the way Echinachea Purpurea is apparently purple CONEflower rather than purple cornflower.

JohnM

I was working for BT in Africa in 1992 when I was gunned down by bandits. I lost my job and could not work so BT gave me a pension. When I recently became 60, BT stopped half my pension, but I think it was wrong because of the change in the law about retiring at 60. Unite's solicitors started to fight my case and we are going to an Employment Tribunal. The solicitors say that Unite will not pay them any more and I cannot afford to fight this. Unite promises to "fight your corner" on occupational pensions. It seems I'm all alone now, just as I was in 1992 as I lay bleeding on an African road next to my dead colleague. Please help me to get justice.

I don't know the poster of the 'BT stopped half my pension' comment, but on the face of it, he could reasonably expect Unite to help him with the case, or else to give a good reason why not. It would be good to see on the blog an official response from Unite. This could give a summary of what Unite has done so far, and what it plans to do. If Unite has concluded that BT's action with regard to the poster's pension was unarguably reasonable, please let us hear why.

Future of the Federation - Financial Black Hole - Unite Magazine

There is an obvious financial black hole in Federation Finance which is being widened by the Unite Magazine current costs of publication and distribution.
I believe it would be in the Financial and Organisational interests of the Federation if a deep look could be taken on the possible future development of Unite Magazine.
I suggest that we should be looking to:
1) Decide a proper cover price for the magazine; currently 85p;
2) Widen the appeal of the Magazine to entice as many of the organisations we share objectives with into subscription/ readership;
3) Use the status of an award winning Magazine to encourage as many people as possible, interested in pensioner issues, not covered by the organisations we share objectives with, to buy Unite Magazine casually, through news distribution outlets or by subscription directly from Federation Hq;
It seems to me we must face the current financial Black hole by being proactive and creative.
I invite members to give their opinions and for Headquarters to say what they are likely to be considering to address the real problems I believe we must address; if we are to continue to be a viable Federation representing our members interests.

Steve McKenna