Pension deductions leave members facing financial difficulties

UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown has today sent letters to the BSO and the Director of Workforce Policy Andrew Dawson, hitting out at lump sum deductions taken from members wages following a Pension recalculation.

It is the responsibility of the Trusts, the Department and the BSO to ensure that staff are not placed in difficulty or hardship. BSO has not spoken to UNISON about its intentions in this matter. Neither does there appear to have been any consistent or coherent discussion with the 6 Trusts and other agencies. BSO has not taken steps to ascertain the position nor does it appear to have deployed the mitigation measures. We now have members suffering hardship and financial loss.  The lowest paid are again severely impacted at a time when many have additional return to school expenditure.  The main adverse impact is on women workers.  This is unacceptable.

We require that the Department direct:

• the immediate suspension of the current process;
• that BSO apply the mitigation measures as set out at the JNCF and take immediate steps to apply this mitigation to the staff who have already been adversely affected.

Download a copy of the letter sent to the Department of Health here

Download a copy of the letter sent to the BSO here