Teachers file judicial portest over alleged pension discrimination

Ten teachers, five of whom have since retired, have filed a judicial protest claiming that the granting of an ex-gratia pension in recent weeks to a number of less senior colleagues, amounted to unjust and discriminatory treatment in their regard. The group filed the judicial act against the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, the Family Minister, and the respective permanent secretaries within the latter two ministries. The protesting parties, who had been engaged in the public service, some even as far back as 1976, were officially appointed as public officers in January 1980. A second group of teachers had been appointed in February of that same year which meant that the latter enjoyed a lesser degree of seniority. However, all throughout their working life, both groups had enjoyed equal employment rights in terms of salary and other conditions of work. Nonetheless, it transpired that in recent weeks, members of the second group had received an ex-gratia treasury pension and lump sum normally given to public officers engaged before January 15, 1979. This payment followed a call issued by the Finance Ministry for a “once only grant for persons who on officially joining the...