Women win 10-year pension battle

Tess Taylor had worked as an assistant matron at the school for 27 years

Low-paid women workers at a Welsh public school have been awarded more than £150,000 and equal pension rights after a 10-year legal battle.

The money will be paid to 27 female employees of Haberdashers' Monmouth schools who were denied access to a pension scheme available to male staff.

Former assistant matron Tess Taylor said: "I think this is a large victory for small people."

School governors said the workers had not been deliberately excluded.

In a pay claim taken to employment tribunals in 1998, the women claimed that the schools were discriminating against them because of their sex and was in breach of equal pay and sex discrimination legislation.

Full-time male staff, working in similar roles, were allowed to join the pension scheme on a voluntary basis.

I have been deeply impressed by the dignity and determination that these low paid women workers have shown in their campaign for justice Dominic MacAskill, Unison organiser

The women's union, Unison, successfully argued that pensions were deferred pay.

The non-contributory scheme, based on final salary, was calculated as being worth around £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.

'Landmark case'

Their claims covered the period when the pension scheme was changed, between 1976 and 1999.

The victory however has come too late for retired cleaner Kay Bamford, who died before a settlement was reached. She worked at one of the schools for more than 10 years.

Tess Taylor, 70, from Monmouth, worked as an assistant matron for 27 years before retiring in 1999.

She said: "This must be a landmark case and we are glad to have won after all these years.

"But I find it crazy that a satisfactory offer from the school was only made days before the tribunal took place.

"With more goodwill and co-operation from Monmouth School this could have been sorted way before now and there would be less ill feeling."

The school dragged-out the case and probably spent more in legal costs than it did to settle the dispute Dave Prentis, Unison general secretary

Dominic MacAskill, a Unison organiser, said the women had shown "dignity and determination . . . in their campaign for justice.

"They have demonstrated that workers standing united in their union can take on, and win against, the most powerful establishment in their community."

'Struggle'

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said he was pleased with the outcome.

"But it has taken over a decade, which shows how desperately we need a speeded-up system to deal with equal pay claims," he added.

"The school dragged out the case and probably spent more in legal costs than it did to settle the dispute with their loyal workers.

"Employers must now think twice before they oppose these type of claims or face action from Unison."

Chairman of governors Sheridan Swallow said 26 claims had been dismissed or withdrawn but the schools agreed to make a settlement payment to the remaining 27.

"There was no deliberate exclusion of these employees from the scheme and they have been unable to demonstrate conclusively their entitlement to membership," he said.

"With the prospect of significant additional legal costs for both sides and the real possibility that even then the matter could drag on expensively for several years, we considered it preferable to offer a settlement payment now to benefit the claimants rather than the lawyers."