09 June 2009
Dozens of low-paid women workers at a leading public school are
celebrating after gaining equal pension rights following a 10-year
legal battle.
The victory against the two Haberdashers' schools in Monmouth,
South Wales, will see more than £150,000 paid out to the part-time
workers, who were denied access to the school's non-contributory
final salary pension scheme when full-time male staff, working in
similar roles, were allowed to join on a voluntary basis.
In a pay claim taken to employment tribunals in 1998, the women
claimed that the school was discriminating against them because of
their sex and was in breach of equal pay and sex discrimination
legislation.
The women's union, Unison, successfully argued that pensions are
deferred pay, being worth about £1,300 a year for eight years for
each worker, plus a lump sum.
The 27 claimants, many of whom are now retired, will receive
between £1,500 and £17,000 each after the claim was settled just
days before a tribunal hearing.
Between them, the workers carried out a variety of roles such as
house parents, administrators, assistant matrons, cooks and
cleaners.
