so, the firm that i've worked for for almost thirty years send me a letter this week to inform me that they are scrapping my final salary pension, the reason? 'we need to use the money that we are currently spending on pensions for our colleagues to be re-directed into the business so we can invest in the future and enable us to purchase competitors and strengthen our position in this very competitive market' oh. so, squeeze me? your going to use my pension money to invest in the firm's future? ok, so where does that leave me then? 'well, for every ten quid you have put in expect to recieve six quid back' whoa, is that fair? 'well, we have to look to the future, the pension scheme cost's us a lot of money, money we could be using to take the company forward. so, what about my future then? 'well, we suggest you seek financial advice, [at your own expense of course] oh, we have contacted the relevant people and you really can't do anything about it, you can't claim age discrimination, i guess you've just got to suck it up' i had nine years left to work. now? well, i'll be working until the day i shuffle off this mortal coil, hey ho. thursday i trap down into leicestershire for the bike night at the vic in coalville, it's a forty mile ride away, a beautiful, mid-summer night, long day's and i need to get my head. i dig out the 'false' bonneville, [the bike closest to the shed door], i'm soon clear of the urban limits and open up the twin, short shifting through the gears and steering the bike using the wide sportster bars, sitting almost upright and keeping my knee's in tight to the tank. out over swarky bridge, the ancient causway where bonny prince charlie decided to sack it and call it a day, skirting melbourne and through pegg's green, dropping onto the 'a' road into coalville and up to the pub. big steve marsh, his wife deborah, son steven jnr and another old mucker, gadge are alredy there. deb's passes me a tea and i investigate the carpark, a couple of t140 bonnevilles, lary, hot-rod harley custom, beautiful mz, i.s.d.t replica, [stunning bike] warning, warning, honda motorcycles approaching, lovely little green cd 200 cafe racer, resto-job 750-four, [great bike, but, i have personally chopped the shit out of these bikes than anyone still alive, why would you want to put one back to standard? just saying] the bsa gold star? triumph tt rep looking the business. oh yes. the rigid framed cbx, six cylinder chop? i'm looking at it and shaun blockley sidles up at my side, 'i built that frame, got a picture of me sitting on it at uncle bunt's' shaun is ex ncc commitee, retired member but still heavilly involved with the club. as the shadow's lengthen i trap on my own, a fast ride back on dry roads, eyes streaming with the pollen. i pull over as i near home, fly splattered yellow safety glasses, sun sinking, motor ticking as it cool's. today.tomorrow. forever.........
What a bunch of armholes, that can't be legal! Love the ISDT MZ!
ReplyDeleteFeckers! The False Triumph is looking great Tim.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately andy, the firm can do it, to say i'm gutted is an understatement to say the least! the little mz is mint isn't it, sounded good too, might have to dig one of my old four-speeds out and do something similar........hello jan, i've neglected the 'false triumph' recently in favour of the peaky blinder and yellow hammer ducati's, it was good to get out on it the other night although it's ready for some new tyres! the metzelers have definetly gone past their 'sell-by' date, i was picking up the whitelines as soon as i touched them, going for some bridgestones i reckon, always rated them, got them on the duc's and can't fault them on road or track.........
ReplyDeleteNever trust big corporate, street gangs, organized crime syndicates or totalitarian governments. Their goals are the same as any other thugs: The acquisition of unchecked power.
ReplyDeleteOn the brighter side, nice sunsets on your little isle, Loveless. Do they still have unicorns and shit over there? They're nearly extinct here in Amërikä..
We do have eunuchs however, mostly politicians and media types.
Rich bastards...I'm 63 and hoping I can get out in a year or two...lucky as I am to be in a public retirement system...until recently we've gone a decade without raises ( they won't even call them 'cost of living' increases anymore ) and work increases and changes that make no sense...and then they have the audacity to wonder why no one cares...? and like Herm says, the gov'mint...there are the rich politicians always trying to down grade or do away with retirement for the rest of us...screw 'em all!
ReplyDeleteNice variety of bikes in the pics Tim.The sunset ones are 'calendar worthy'...good thing we have our bikes to help maintain our sanity
Shame on that company for playing around with your pension money.
ReplyDeleteOn the brighter side of it: That MZ is really nice, but you know, you could always fit the old 4-speed cylinder cover on the later 5 speed and then end up with the better motor (in order to change the seals on the 4 speed, you have to split the cases...)