Fórsa is currently in a series of talks with DPER in an attempt to reach agreement on pension arrangements for our members working in North/South Bodies.

The Union is requesting that members are given an ‘options exercise’ in which they would be able to choose if they stay in a newer pension scheme or revert to a legacy scheme.

Workers in North/South Bodies were previously given an options exercise in 2015 when the British civil service pension scheme changed on foot of the Hutton Reforms. The North/South pension scheme is based on the terms of the British civil service’s scheme.

Fórsa’s claim has arisen as a result of the British Government subsequently being found guilty of discrimination in the McCloud Judgement. The union’s concern is that members made an important decision without knowing that they were entering into a discriminatory scheme.

The talks have so far been positive, and we have secured a commitment from DPER that the Department will carry out an analysis of how our members were impacted by the decisions they made in 2015.

Fórsa continues to make the case that once this analysis is complete, the affected staff should be given a new options exercise. Union officials will be meeting with DPER again in November to continue negotiations.