RIR soldiers take tribunal cases

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/5339786.stm

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More than 1,000 part-time RIR members are taking their Army bosses to an industrial tribunal in a row over pension and redundancy rights.

The soldiers involved will lose their jobs when the regiment's three Home Service battalions disband next year.

The soldiers said they were happy with a special tax-free payment of £14,000 they would each receive when their battalions are disbanded.

They said the government was breaking European law.

This is because it is refusing to treat them in the same way as full time soldiers, they said.

'Lodged papers'

BBC Northern Ireland home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney said: "The soldiers argue that a European working directive, which became law six years ago, means that all part-time workers are entitled to a pension, and to paid leave, leave and redundancy payments.

"The Ministry of Defence argues that the law does not extend to members of the Army.

"There are about 1,100 part-time members of the regiment and almost all of them have already gone to a military tribunal to challenge the terms of their redundancy."

Now most of them have also lodged papers with the Office of Industrial Tribunals in Belfast and said they would take court action if the MoD dismisses the complaints.

Two sample cases challenging the refusal to grant pensions which were lodged shortly after the European law came into force, are due to be heard early next year.

If the soldiers win, the Ministry of Defence would face a multi-million pounds bill for pensions and redundancy payments for all part-time soldiers.