I don't grudge a penny of salary/pension that any ATCO receives. It's a hard job and is remunerated accordingly.
My point is that, whether an ATCO retires on a pension of £30k or £32k a year is not exactly topping the billboard charts of national priorities in a time of deep recession, rising unemployment and negative equity. Attempting to make it so, would be both unsuccessful and unpopular.
I'm not dismissing the issue - I voted no to the proposals on offer... I just seek a little realism with it.