The 30-year pension struggle for a group of former Waterford Crystal employees still has not be resolved.
That's the message that was delivered by the Waterford Crystal Pension Action Group before an Oireachtas Committee on Trade and Employment this week.
A group of more than 400 employees agreed a voluntary redundancy package with their employer in the early 1990s.
However, because this was accepted, they were excluded from a government compensation fund years later after the company's insolvency, and now they say they have no pension.
Dr John M Hearne has told the Committee that their pension provider should have given them all their options when they agreed a compensation package in 2009.
"We're 30 years advocating for our rights. We got a letter on the 13th of October, after 30 years, stating they do not have our option forms. We were recognised by the pension provider in 2009 and 10 as deferred pension holders. As such, we should be included in the government compensations," he said.
The committee was gathering information for the 'Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers Bill'.
Another member of the Waterford Crystal Pension Action Group, Walter Croke, also addressed the TDs and Senators involved.
"Had the trustees of our pension scheme adhered to the provisions of the Pensions Act 1990, and in 1992 issued us with our pension option forms, we would not be here today still advocating for our legal entitlements from this government," he said.
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