WALTHAM FOREST: School strike threat looms over pensions

5:10pm Wednesday 9th January 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

HUNDREDS of school workers may strike over the loss of pensions when the management of education in Waltham Forest changes hands.

Over 200 staff providing essential support services which will not be placed back under council control are facing an uncertain future.

The workers, many of whom were employed by the local authority before it was forced to relinquish control of education due to poor performance, may see the value of their pensions fall dramatically.

EduAction was given special dispensation to provide pensions under the local government scheme when it took over the management of education in 2001.

However, Local Government Minister Hazel Blears is yet to decide whether this will continue when the company's contract ends on March 31 - leaving staff in limbo.

A worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said there is widespread frustration at a lack of answers as the deadline looms and fears of job losses are growing.

Unison outreach worker Steve Woodhouse said: "As things stand, EduAction has been told it can no longer operate the local government pension scheme.

"There has been an appeal to the Department of Communities and Local Government but a decision has been delayed.

"I'm not optimistic that the pensions will remain. There is a possibility the workers will take up a pension with EduAction, but I don't expect the terms to be as favourable.

"Strike action is a possibility, it depends on the strength of feeling - we will be consulting our members. The services they provide are very important and we expect any action to have an impact.

"We would rather the services were taken back in house at the council, but I don't think it has the confidence to run them.

"Many of the staff have been contributing to the pension scheme throughout their careers - some for over 30 years. The pension is one of the reason people are prepared to take low paid work in the public sector."

A spokeswoman for EduAction said the company is discussing the issue with staff and "other key stakeholders".