Quirky News
Firefighters hose down riot police
Hundreds of firefighters hosed down riot police and the prime minister's office in Brussels in a protest over retirement plans.
The firefighters want to keep their early retirement age at 58, arguing their arduous job does not allow them to work into their 60s.
But the government wants to raise the Belgian retirement age to 67 so it can afford an ever-increasing pension bill.
Deputy prime minister Didier Reynders said caving in to the firefighters' demands would "send the wrong signal" to everyone.
what do you think?
chris
I think the usual thing is to have a second career already lined up as soon as the 'day' job is finished, or you move into another nice little job with the advantage of already being on a nice early pension. To be fair, fulltimers in their 50's tend to be quite fit as they mainly drive and operate machinery and sleep nights. Housebuilding/renovation is popular. make the most of a good thing! It wont be long before the only people who get mortgages and new cars are those in the state sector.
Mikel roi
That really is nonsense and an insult to hard working public sector employees - doing heavy manual work too! on very low wages with expectation of a tiny pension at 67! If you are agrieved about your business's pension arrangements - stand up and speak out - please do not go around critisising fellow workers (of whatever sector) who have negotiated something that you see as beneficial. I pay private sector wages and pensions through my expenditure on their products or services as well as public sector renumeration from my not very big pension. I pay all taxes the same as you - except NI. I paid that for 48 years and worked 51 years. How are you doing?
Kevin Case
Totally agree will Phil Moore, 67 year old fire-fighters you are joking. What is more important, do we want 67 year old police officers on the front line - no way. If it happens to fire-fighters it will happen to the police. I am 100% confident that the vast majority of those police officers being sprayed by the fire-fighters totally support the fire-fighters in their campaign. The pension problem must take into account what the job expects from people physically, if not why are the armed services allowed/expected to retire at 40?
dyrewolfe
In case you'd forgotten, the emergency services (just like the armed forces) have hefty support structures i.e. a large number of administrative posts that don't require the hard physical activity of front line services. While you can indeed retire at a relatively early age in the forces, you can also work into your 60s if you choose to (and are not discharged for health reasons). Same applies to the police, fire and ambulance services. I'm 100% confident we won't be seeing 60-year-old firefighters carrying people down ladders any time soon.
Lawrence Macrides
GOOD LADS, its only water !
IRONSTINE
yes 67 is realistic if your working life consists sitting behind a desk,leading a privileged lifestyle,being a general chubby chops.
Roger W. Patrick
Pity we don't give our so-called"Government" the same type of message here in Britain. But then we're all too restrained. ("Not quite British, Old Boy, What!!!!")
RICK DALE
The euro at work
Olly Olly
Meanwhile there's a load of people dying in a house fire.
HAROLD HAZELL
There are a lot of backroom, desk jobs which are done by civilians which police and firemen can do after age 60. It is hard to say but we are living too long. When these pension schemes were started 40 years ago people lived 5 years after retiring now they live 15 years after the age of 65. Do the sums, you have to have three times as much in the pension pot to last that long. So working after 65, contributing more is a necessity. Bad luck isn't it ! The moral is we all have to save as well. Don't make me laugh, there is a lot of waste which could be saved..These girls spending £700 on a handbag. Ridiculous.
Oliver McEvoy
I wonder at what age will the riot police be allowed to retire!! 67 they cannot be serious, imagine a 67 year old attending an emergency it would be a case of the recipients helping the worker(Firefighters0 with their zimmer frames, glasses, removing their false teeth in case they melted intheir mouths, deaf aids etc and then directing the hoses for them as they cannot see, hear, balance or speak....what a scenario.
Bernard Petrie
Its unrealistic to expect people whose jobs entail heavy manual work to work until they are in their later sixties. Lets have a bit of common sense exercised please or ensure all the desk bound bureaucrats take over from the manual workers to do the manual jobs when they reach their sixties. Its about time our politicos did some physical work other than talk, they are loosing touch with reality and living in a virtual world of their own.
Juls Adams
why should any public sector workers think its a right to be given a pension when theres lots of private sectors workers without one and its virtually quaranteed has its paid for by the tax payer.i understand if you take a job on from day one and promised a pension and someone changes the rules u will be upset about it.fair enough.they do have a point but the country cannot afford pensions for public sector worker anymore.if they get a pension then priviate sector should have the same has well or no one gets a pension.seems fair to me.they could compromise keep the age the same but give them a reduced pension but this should be accross the whole public sector
Mikel roi
How easily Politicians deved the working class and keep on ruling them! We should seek to help each other - not fight among ourselves. If public sector workers are willing to put up with no pension terms - then so be it! Many public servants fought for their right to a reasonable retirement, perhaps private sector should do the same, eh? Faint hearts are very easily tramplled! I have to pay for private sector pensions too - and it you spend money on any private sector goods or services - you are doing the same. So what is the difference? All the money earnt through expenditure on goods and services is used to pay for investment for the future, for bonuses, for sponsership schemes (a form of private taxation where we don't get a say in the spending!) all the fat cat salaries, bonuses, dividends AND pensions. Most bosses have excellent pension schemes why not employees who create the wealth? It is up to us (if we are not satisfied with a particular issue) to seek to change the status quo. Your call Juls!
Jonathan Strauss
Why is this in "quirky news" , I'd consider this is pretty serious and a sign of the times.
Phill Moore
6:01pm on 10/2/2012
Lets get this right, can any government see a firefighter at 67 years age carrying an injured person down a ladder. All ver Europe the retirement age is being raised because of all politics gone wrong and politicians lining their own pockets. Sitting in talking shops, anyone can do that till any age, but the average worker cannot work untill 67.
dyrewolfe
8:40am on 11/2/2012
Er...wrong! All over Europe retirement ages are rising because more people are living longer and governments' pension schemes can no longer support this. Also, you'd be surprised how many people are now working well into their 60s. I have several colleagues who are 20+ years my senior and many of the companies I work with employ older senior staff.