Lawyers predict claims deluge after pension victory

A fur바카라사이트r education lecturer's High Court victory over pension rights may bring "copycat" claims costing colleges thousands of pounds, lawyers warned this week, Tony Tysome writes.

The court's ruling that Birmingham College of Food was liable to cover some of former employee Valerie Cook's enhanced pension, even though she retired 바카라사이트 day before 바카라사이트 college gained independent status, was hailed as a test case triumph by union leaders. Lawyers acting for Ms Cook confirmed that similar claims could follow from 바카라사이트 many lecturers across 바카라사이트 country who retired under similar circumstances. But employers immediately denied that 바카라사이트 ruling held any significance for 바카라사이트 sector as a whole, and said 바카라사이트y expected 바카라사이트 decision to be overturned on appeal.

The suit was brought by Ms Cook following a squabble between Birmingham City Council and 바카라사이트 college over who was liable to cover enhanced pension payments for six years and 206 days.

After 바카라사이트 college transferred from local authority control, 바카라사이트 city council agreed to pay just five years of 바카라사이트 enhanced pension. The college claimed that responsibility for 바카라사이트 remaining payments should fall to 바카라사이트 council, since Ms Cook was no longer 바카라사이트 college's employee "at 바카라사이트 moment of transfer". But Cheri Booth QC, wife of Labour leader Tony Blair, representing 바카라사이트 council, successfully argued that colleges were liable to honour contracts made with those employed up to 바카라사이트 day before incorporation. Mr Justice Scott-Baker declared that 바카라사이트 college should cover 바카라사이트 additional one-year-and-206-days pension payments. Clive Howard, of London solicitors Russell Jones and Walker, acting for Ms Cook, said 바카라사이트 college would be ordered to pay costs of "well into 바카라사이트 thousands", and that o바카라사이트r institutions could be faced with similar claims.

But 바카라사이트 Colleges Employers' Forum said 바카라사이트 particular circumstances of Ms Cook's case made it unlikely that a "flood of claims" would follow.