Both the pensioners and the employees that are still working needs the money, because both have responsibilities and families to provide for, of which their pension or salary respectively might be their only source of income. Although the pension fund have been contributed already while the pensioner was still in active duty, so the pension fund is expected to be readily available, but in a rare case that the funds are not enough, then it's better to give both of them part of their pension and salary respectively so that no one will go empty handed.