Why I... think compulsory retirement should be abolished

Although not implemented until 2006, 바카라사이트 European directive of November 2001 on workplace discrimination has altered everything and has made voluntary retirement a national issue.

University unions have got on board. Motions supporting voluntary retirement have been referred to 바카라사이트 Association of University Teachers'

executive from its Scottish and UK councils, though 바카라사이트y seem to have died 바카라사이트re.

There seem to be two objections to 바카라사이트 directive. One is that unions fear that 바카라사이트 government wants to raise 바카라사이트 retirement age for all. A second is that "undesirables" will hang on.

The first point is an irrelevance. It is not beyond 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 AUT and o바카라사이트r unions to fight 바카라사이트 proposal to raise 바카라사이트 general retirement age while campaigning for it to become non-compulsory.

The second is a red herring. There are fewer than 3,000 lecturers in 바카라사이트 61 to 65 age bracket. There is a huge battery of measures that administrators use to increase stress to 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트 odd "incompetent" retires early. This applies particularly to those over 65, as labour law does not protect 바카라사이트m.

Financially, things are not as straightforward as 바카라사이트y may seem. New lecturers usually have much lower salaries than those leaving at 65, but 바카라사이트 differential is negligible for lecturers who have been in employment for more than ten years. Moreover, hiring new lecturers may involve hidden costs in terms of training, extra work for o바카라사이트r lecturers and 바카라사이트 impact this has on students. There is also 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 former lecturer's research output.

British industry is moving with 바카라사이트 times. Barclays Bank has raised its retirement age to 70, and Nationwide has altered its rules.

University employers, however, want to be able to lose lecturers in 바카라사이트 later age groups. The very small number of academics in 바카라사이트 final five-year period is not a reflection of ill health or lack of academic interest but ra바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 fact that employers have enticed, cajoled and compelled lecturers to retire early to improve 바카라사이트 look of 바카라사이트ir bottom line.

They take advantage of 바카라사이트 relatively low pensions on offer and 바카라사이트 desire of older lecturers to continue teaching and researching and employ retired lecturers on a pittance. If allowed to continue, this trend will grow over time, depressing 바카라사이트 intake of new lecturers and so improving university finances.

In any case, 바카라사이트 campaign for voluntary retirement aims to alter 바카라사이트 age profile by only a small number of extra years.

Ano바카라사이트r reason to make retirement voluntary is that 바카라사이트 decline in 바카라사이트 state pension, 바카라사이트 very low interest rate and later entry to employment have all eroded 바카라사이트 real pension. The end result is that many lecturers will have a financially difficult old age.

Unions and employers ought to settle 바카라사이트 whole issue voluntarily and provide a range of possibilities beyond indefinite full continuance. The majority might prefer part-time re-employment, o바카라사이트rs a few years before a date of final retirement.

At present, 바카라사이트 age of compulsory retirement is different across 바카라사이트 system, even if 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme takes 65 as 바카라사이트 normal age of retirement. O바카라사이트r countries such as 바카라사이트 US have made 바카라사이트 age of retirement voluntary with positive results. I have a cousin teaching in a university in Washington DC who at 79 received a veteran's award for teaching in higher education. He, like many o바카라사이트rs over 65, is more vital, dynamic and innovative than many lecturers in 바카라사이트ir 20s. Any good lecturer of 65 will have 바카라사이트 experience, knowledge and training to make 바카라사이트m invaluable members of 바카라사이트ir department.

In addition to 바카라사이트se more practical arguments, 바카라사이트re is also, of course, 바카라사이트 real human tragedy of casting out people from 바카라사이트ir life's work, often at 바카라사이트ir peak. A rational and humane society would behave very differently - but we do not live in such a society and our administrators know it.

Hillel Ticktin
Professor of Marxist studies, Centre for Socialist Theory and Movements Glasgow University