23% employer contrubution in the NHS and that is "not so generous"!
This is exactly my point. Between 1/4 and 1/3rd of your pay paid into your pension every year, without tax. It's an absolutely enormous perk that is unheard of at this level in the private sector.
Related I am sick and tired of hearing how poorly paid junior doctors are. Sure the starting salaries are not huge (£32k before the latest pay rise taking it to £36k) is hardly terrible. But add on to that the pension, AND the fact that it's a stepping stone on the career path of ever higher earnings. Doctors end up on £100k or more (plus the generous pension) and most on A LOT more since they often only work 3 days a week for the NHS and earn even more with private work. It's not uncommon for them to be earning £200k in total.
So starting on a "low??" salary is all part of the deal. Just the same as accountants and lawyers, for example. My mate was dismally paid as a trainee accountant (£4k per year in the early 80's when I was on like £16k) after doing a business studies degree. So much so that he had to live with his mum and dad until he was 30! But he knew it would be worth it and now he's a chief accountant/company secretary on around £120k per year.
But when was the last time you heard of a junior accountants' strike?