Part-time workers lose occupational pensions claim

Hopes that 60,000 part-time workers would share up to pounds 95m in back-dated occupational pensions were dashed yesterday when a tribunal failed to uphold most of their claims. The TUC said it was considering going to the Appeal Court following a ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal that most of the part-timers were not entitled to backdated rights because their claims were "out of time".

Up to 10,000 part-time workers whose claims were judged to be valid could share pounds 16m as a result of the ruling. But the TUC said it was disappointed that Mr Mummery had not ruled in favour of all 60,000 part-time teachers, health, bank and shopworkers.