Pension fears for laid-off workers
A UNION claims Kirklees Council is short-changing the workers it is laying off.
Kirklees Unison claims the council is reducing pensions for workers made compulsorily redundant.
At the moment, any local government worker who is over 55 and made redundant is entitled to an immediate pension based on their service at that time and the contributions they have paid.
But the union claims council chiefs are to approach the West Yorkshire Pension Fund to ask about a reduction.
Paul Holmes, Kirklees Unison branch secretary, said: "I am shocked by the council's actions: "The pension scheme doesn't belong to Kirklees Council, it's a national pension scheme, regulated by the government.
"There are no government plans to cut pensions for services already undertaken. This is a Kirklees Council initiative."
In a letter to council leader Mehboob Khan, Mr Holmes said morale was at an all-time low. He said staff had been told that if they were made redundant and aged between 50 and 55 they would have to wait until age 60 to 65 to receive their pension, depending on their service.
He said: "The attacks are causing great stress, are unfair and have not been applied to senior managers. Our members come to work to do a fair day's work for a fair day's pay.
"I implore the council to look again at their policies."
But Coun Khan dismissed the claims.
He said: "This is an outrageous and groundless allegation and is nothing more than scaremongering and it will worry our employees.
"There is no intention at all to attack pension funds."
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Weather for Batley
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
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