Over 250 community sector workers have been forced to retire without an occupational pension over the last ten years.

That’s despite a 2008 Labour court recommendation that said a pension scheme should be put in place for community employment supervisors.

Around 80 workers from across the South East protested outside the INTREO offices on the Cork Road in Waterford this afternoon calling for the recommendation to finally be implemented.

The Department of Social Protection argues that the workers are technically not state employees but employees of community organisations that receive state funding.

Garrett Wyse is supervisor of the Tramore Community Employment scheme.

“The fact that they’re still trying to trot out the line that they’re not our employers, has been refuted by the Labour Court,” he said, “all we’re looking for is that decision to be implemented.”