Pensioners must fight right wing

Sir, - The political right has exploited the economic crisis of the last decade to drive down pay, destroy the power of the unions and encourage a small government status in general.

This neocon agenda has been manifestly pushed by our right-wing press.

They set public and private employees against each other. They set traditional workingclass Labour voters against the perceived elitist, intellectual, middle-class Islington set.

They are now setting the young against the “pampered” Baby Boom pensioners.

The pensioners have had historical protection in the form of their numbers and their voting propensities.

Not now. The gloves are coming off.

The media are even convincing some pensioners that they are privileged.

The Tories chose to commit vast sums to quantitative easing to save the banks rather than allow public sector pay to rise and spoil their agenda. The pensioners should not be blamed for the problems of underpayment of others.

We should not be manipulated into resenting the pensioners and not accept that the pay of the workforce can be improved without harming the economy.

It could stimulate it better than fiscal easing.

Come on unions, get your act together and earn your salaries or you may soon be under scrutiny yourselves. Robert Ferguson. 19 New Gilston, Leven.