University accused of pension injustice

Aunion has accused Dundee University of stripping away pension cash from hundreds of low-paid and mostly female workers.

The proposals will see a pension scheme for staff such as cleaners, administration workers, and catering shut down.

Unison say this means those on the lowest wages could see retirement funds slashed by up to 40%.

Meanwhile, higher-paid staff, who are enrolled in a different scheme, will be unaffected.

An employee in the administration department, who wished to remain anonymous, said she could now be many more years away from retirement.

“I could potentially receive 25% less than I expected now,” she said.

“I’ve worked here for 25 years, I’m just shocked they would treat me this way.”

Dundee University says nothing will be finalised until a consultation is completed.

Under the plans, senior management will remain part of the national Universities Superannuation Scheme.

But lower-paid workers on grades 1-6 will only be able to join a new, much cheaper, locally-defined contribution scheme from August 1.

The current Dundee University Superannuation Scheme – only open to pay grades 1-6 – is a defined benefit CARE scheme.

The proposed replacement scheme would be a privately administered scheme with no guaranteed benefits in retirement and subject to the performance of the investments selected by its provider.

Dundee University Unison branch secretary Phil Welsh said pension poverty is “very real” and questioned the reasoning behind the changes.

He said: “The slashing of the current pension scheme is laser targeted at the lowest paid members of staff, while management will remain unaffected.

“Hard-working, mostly female, employees working in catering, cleaning, security, administration and library roles should not be made to suffer while others can look forward to a longer and more comfortable retirement.”

He added it would leave staff with “by far the worst pensions” of any education employees in Tayside.

Unison is consulting with its members and has not ruled out industrial action, while the university says it is finalising the proposals.

A spokesperson said: “The university is proposing to make changes to the current UODSS (University of Dundee Superannuation and Life Assurance Scheme) pension arrangements and we have started a formal consultation process today.

“The consultation period runs until May 14, and nothing will be finalised until after the consultation period ends.

“All representations from current and eligible members of UODSS and the campus trade unions will be considered.

“The benefits members have already built up within UODSS are protected and are not affected by the proposed changes.”

The waiting list for bone, muscle and joint treatment had almost halved by the end of last year because of plummeting numbers of patients being referred.

A total of 34,324 patients were waiting for their first musculoskeletal appointment on December 31, 2020, down 49% compared to the same day in 2019.

Public Health Scotland statistics show that far more patients have been seen or removed from waiting lists compared to the number of new patients added.

But despite the drop in patients on the waiting list, more than a third (39.3%) were not seen within the government’s four-week target, although this is lower than the 56.3% recorded at the end of the last year.

Group gym classes at Perth College UHI have started again, with activities being held outside.

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools have been closed for months due to coronavirus restrictions, including the gym at the college’s Academy of Sport and Wellbeing.

However, restrictions were eased on Friday by the Scottish Government to allow outdoor, noncontact sports and exercise classes for groups of up to 15 people to be held.

As a result, the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing has moved its exercise equipment outside so its classes can go ahead safely.

Mandy Macdonald, gym and fitness manager at the Academy of Sport and Wellbeing, said: “After the recent Scottish Government announcement to allow permitted safe, outdoor group exercise we are thrilled to offer a new fitness class timetable.”