In pension terms, 2012 promises to be as eventful as 2011.
Unite has recently been working with the government on new civil service pension terms for 2015.
"The company has no record of whether any specific questions were raised about the pension terms by Lord Myners," RBS said.
Spending cash straight away looks a lot more fun (see chart 2).This is a shame, in pension terms, because of the miracle of compound interest.
"Who would be happy with that?" While she will be hit on the pay side, Nicky – as a member of a public sector scheme – is less likely to suffer negative effects from the April 2016 change in her pension terms.
The government is also paying out £350m to help former mining areas recover from pit closures, another £20m to clean up former colliery spoil heaps and £60m a year in pensions to older miners who lost out when pension terms were improved in the mid-1970s.
"Whilst the BBC has heard and responded to some of our concerns, we are disappointed that the BBC's response fails to take account of the long-term implications of the worsening of pension terms for staff and their families," said Gerry Morrissey, general secretary of Bectu.
But the danger - in pension terms - is that they may well live very much longer.
Teachers in the NUT union in Wales and England were protesting against the UK government's changes to pay and pension terms.
Critics pointed out that the police and fire system allows for retirement at 50 and other more generous pension terms.
