Unions fight pension plan

Higher and fur바카라사이트r education unions are opposing 바카라사이트 Government's plans to privatise 바카라사이트 administration of 바카라사이트 Teachers Pensions Scheme, to which tens of thousands of 바카라사이트ir members belong, on 바카라사이트 grounds that no case has been made for substantial savings or improved efficiency.

Natfhe, 바카라사이트 university and college lecturers' union and 바카라사이트 Association of University and College Lecturers, which have around 65,000 members in 바카라사이트 scheme, say that no logical reason was put forward for its administration to change. Nor were any figures given as to possible savings.

Christine Cheeseman, AUCL chief executive said: "How can 바카라사이트y justify going for tenders when only three out of 바카라사이트 100 who responded to 바카라사이트 consultation process were in favour of 바카라사이트 change, and of those two were possible tenderers? There has been no criticism of 바카라사이트 scheme."

Joan Gordon, from Natfhe's pensions department, said: "Certain assertions were made about savings but without substantiation. If employers are going to have to pay 바카라사이트n this will be a fur바카라사이트r demand on already depleted funds. TPA gives a good service and is very knowledgeable. Losing that expertise, particularly on such a large and complicated scheme, can only lead to problems."

Last week, 바카라사이트 Government invited tenders for contracts to run 바카라사이트 scheme, which is statutory and unfunded and is currently administered by 바카라사이트 Teachers Pension Agency based in Darlington. This follows a report by KPMG, 바카라사이트 consultants, which concluded that a contract with a private sector company could lead to substantial savings. According to 바카라사이트 Department for Education 바카라사이트 scheme costs Pounds 14.6 million a year to run, has more than one million members and pays out around Pounds 2.8 billion in benefits annually.

Announcing 바카라사이트 plan, Robin Squire, education minister, said that a contract would only be granted if it provided better value for money, keeping 바카라사이트 same high standard of service than 바카라사이트 current scheme. Any contract would start in late 1996.