The TUC has called for
compulsory employer pension contributions following the publication of its
research showing that many workers, particularly the unskilled, have inadequate
pension provision.
The TUC report finds that
skilled workers are much more likely to have a company pension than unskilled
staff.
According to the study
three-quarters of professional men are members of occupational pension schemes
compared to only a third of unskilled men.
Seven out of 10 skilled women
have an occupational pension compared to only 27 per cent of unskilled women.
Eight out of 10 London staff
have an occupational pension compared to less than 75 per cent in other
regions.
TUC deputy general secretary
Brendan Barber, said: "Hardworking people deserve decent retirement
incomes, but at the moment pension coverage is patchy. It is crucial that we
have a strong safety net for those who are left without coverage, but in the
end, we all need to pay up for pensions.
"We want to see compulsory
employer contributions and action to stem the tide of final salary scheme
closures.
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"Compulsory employer
contributions would also make stakeholder schemes much more attractive to the
kind of people most likely to be without cover."
