SCOTTISH public sector workers will face the same pension contribution increases as colleagues across the UK, after Finance Secretary John Swinney ruled out a more generous deal.
He told MSPs it would cost the Scottish Government £100 million a year to maintain contributions at present levels.
Under UK Government plans, public sector workers will have to pay, on average, an extra 3.2% towards their pensions by 2014/15.
The Scottish Government is responsible for public sector schemes north of the Border but said it had to follow suit.
Mr Swinney said: "For the Scottish Government to refuse to implement this increase would result in our funding being reduced by £100m for each and every year the increase was not applied.
"That financial burden is too large to further impose on Scotland's communities, which are already dealing with difficult economic times."
Unions said the Scottish Government move was disappointing. STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said: STUC recognises that the Scottish Government's room for manoeuvre is limited both through statute and budgetary realities.
"Nevertheless, the apparent failure to bring forward any proposal to limit the impact of changes is highly disappointing."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said: "When faced with the same decisions as the UK, the SNP have taken the same decisions as the UK."
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