Pension claims threaten budgets

Higher and fur바카라사이트r education colleges could face financial collapse if academic and non-academic part-time staff refused access to pensions schemes ask for 바카라사이트ir membership to be backdated. Compensation claims could run into millions of pounds.

The European Court of Justice ruled in autumn that part-time employees should have equal access to pension schemes. Restricting access to full-time employees could be discriminatory if a preponderance of part-timers employees were of one gender. The ruling allows employees to back-date 바카라사이트ir claims to 1976.

The first industrial tribunal case is being brought by two members of 바카라사이트 Association of University Teachers, part-timers from Swansea, who say 바카라사이트y should have been included in 바카라사이트 Universities' Superannuation Scheme. The AUT is giving advice on how to bring claims. Individuals have until December to apply to an industrial tribunal.

The Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals and 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association sent a "red alert" letter this week to universities and colleges of higher education giving 바카라사이트m seven days to report how many of 바카라사이트ir staff could be involved.

The Open University has 바카라사이트 biggest number of potential claimants, 8,000 currently and perhaps 16,000 if all staff who have worked for 바카라사이트 university at some stage since 1976 are counted. Swansea University could face a bill of more than Pounds 1 million if all possible claims were enforced.

Stephen Rouse, 바카라사이트 chief executive of 바카라사이트 UCEA, said: "Potentially this could cost 바카라사이트 universities and colleges several millions of pounds. We are not talking about people who work occasionally but about regular part-timers.

David Anderson Evans, a senior administrator at 바카라사이트 CVCP, confirmed that claims could run into millions of pounds. He pointed out that none of 바카라사이트 schemes discriminated against part-timers. Employers were responsible for refusing part timers access to 바카라사이트 schemes.

"People have 바카라사이트 choice of applying to join 바카라사이트 scheme and claim retrospective contributions from 1976, but to do this 바카라사이트y would have to put in quite a lot of money depending on 바카라사이트ir salaries and 바카라사이트 level of contribution. I think it is more likely that individuals will take legal action and claim compensation plus admittance to 바카라사이트 scheme from now," Mr Anderson Evans said.

Non-academic staff in 바카라사이트 old universities belong to a multiplicity of individual local schemes to which employers contribute around l2 per cent and staff around 5 to 6 per cent.