Sir.-I read with interest last Friday's letter from Aidan Richardson, which was headlined "Out of touch with reality".

I was expecting at least some fact but was sadly disappointed.

He claims the UNISON and the local Government workers are out of touch with reality and that public sector pensions are unrealistically generous.

In fact, the average local government pension pays out £3,800 a year. If that is unrealistically generous, I would hate to see what Mr Richardson calls poverty pensions.

This dispute is not just about finance, it's about opposing the Government's attitude that you should work until you drop.

I would urge all readers to join us rather than just spew out their political line without thought to the real issues.

UNISON is not opposed to the proposed review of the pension scheme. We were happy with the consultation process that was taking place and were happy to have input into that.

The Government then chose to break away from the consultation and put before the Houses of Parliament a number of amendments to the local government scheme, regardless of the consultation process which it had started.

We are opposed to dictatorship and request that the Government gets back around the table to discuss its proposals in a responsible and grown-up manner.

We do not believe that is too much to ask.

We are well aware that the Local Government Pension Scheme needs updating and want to be a part of that process.

We want our members to retire to a better life with a decent pension - one that they have contributed to all their working lives.

We don't want dictatorship and we don't want, or need, ill-thoughtout letters with no facts in them.

-Andy Straker, UNISON Regional Officer, UNISON House, Reading.

Sir.-I write in response to Aidan Richardson's letter.

Does he know - or even care - that the average public sector pension is just £3,800?

That is the reality and it is far from being generous.

Perhaps he has suffered personally as a result of being in a private sector pension scheme and now wants equality of poverty for all pensioners.

Does he have some inside information about how UNISON members voted?

I suggest to Mr Richardson that he uses his energy to campaign for better, not worse, pensions.

Or perhaps he's "alright Jack" and doesn't care about the rest of us.

-Martin Tubbs, Unison branch secretary, Basingstoke Local Government Branch.