- Conference
- 2003 National Delegate Conference
- Date
- 25 February 2003
- Decision
- Carried
For decades hundreds of thousands of workers, mostly women, were denied the right to belong to their employers’ pension schemes, solely on the basis that they were part-time, consigning them to state benefits of years poverty income in their retirement years.
The union welcomes the recent legal victory for 60,000 workers and the role the unions have played in this.
However, Conference is dismayed at the ruling of the Inland Revenue to refuse tax exemptions to backdated pension contributions. This only serves to further victimise the victims of sex discrimination.
Conference is also concerned that many workers will not be able to take advantage of the legal victory, if they are required to pay back their own contributions which in some cases amounts to thousands of pounds.
Conference believes that any negotiations taking place to settle these cases at a national level must, as a minimum, seek to secure compensation payments that are at least equal to the total backdated contribution owed by the members.
Conference also demands this National Executive Council must consult with branches and members prior to any offer being accepted.