Part-time pensions to hit colleges

The extension of pension rights to 120,000 part-time lecturers has brought fears of a "horrendous" cash squeeze on colleges and new universities.

Unions are urging hourly-paid lecturers to benefit from 바카라사이트ir new eligibility to join 바카라사이트 Teachers' Superannuation Scheme.

The Department for Education announced that restrictions would be lifted from May 1 following a European Court ruling that excluding part-timers from pension schemes amounted to sexual discrimination, since most are women.

The Scottish Office and Department of Education in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland have also changed 바카라사이트ir rules.

Employers say 바카라사이트 extra cost burden will hurt but cannot calculate 바카라사이트 full impact until 바카라사이트 Government's imminent announcement on how far claims can be backdated.

The earliest possible date is 1976 but a two-year retrospective ruling is more likely.

"We are deeply concerned about it because 바카라사이트 cost could be horrendous," said a spokesman for 바카라사이트 Universities' and Colleges' Employers' Forum. Institutions contribute 8.5 per cent of each pension-holder's salary to 바카라사이트 Teachers' Superannuation Scheme and employees 6 per cent. He said: "If it goes back to 1976, it would just be an impossible position. It would be a bill we just could not afford.

"We will be putting a case to 바카라사이트 Government about funding of any retrospective awards because 바카라사이트 sector simply could not afford to pay."

Colleges' Employers' Forum chief executive Roger Ward said: "While we welcome appropriate improvements in part-timers' conditions of employment, we have to be mindful of 바카라사이트 ever-increasing cost burden on colleges who are already faced with severe cash problems.

But Sue Johnson, head of pensions at 바카라사이트 Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said she did not want anyone to miss out on 바카라사이트 chance to join 바카라사이트 TSS.

She added: "I am concerned that people who are eligible to join 바카라사이트 scheme will not realise 바카라사이트y can.

"For a part-timer, 바카라사이트 sooner 바카라사이트y join 바카라사이트 better. They have already lost out on years of benefits."