Action against the University’s imposition of an Employer Justified Retirement Age

The University of St Andrews has decided to follow an Employer Justified Retirement Age (EJRA) policy despite this being against the UK Government’s removal of the Default Retirement Age (DRA) in 2011 and is, therefore, challengeable in law (ACAS).

The University claims to have the support of the majority of staff in making this decision. However, Only 6% of St Andrews staff replied to HR’s consultation of which only 80/156 were in favour. This is not a true representation of the views of the workforce at the University.

The University further justifies their decision with crafted wording about the ‘consultation’ with the campus Trade Unions, implying that the Unions support the policy. On the contrary, UCU is strongly opposed to the introduction of an EJRA as it believes employees should be able to retire at a time a time of their own choosing, in the spirit of the 2011 legal change.

The St Andrews UCU Committee challenges the University’s EJRA policy for the following reasons:

1. Given the reduction in real salaries of up to 15% over five years and up to 27% off our pensions, many university staff need to work longer to ensure a reasonable pension support in retirement. Thus, the St Andrews EJRA policy is not compatible with promoting dignity. People age and retain or lose capability at different rates. There are many still fit, highly competent and experienced individuals at 65+ years old. To judge everyone as potentially incapable of performing their job at the state pension age is ageist.

2. Staff who have had gaps in their pensionable work, for example from parental leave, illness, career change, undergoing training or acquiring additional qualifications, will be disadvantaged as they may need to work extra years to prepare for retirement. Thus the St Andrews EJRA is not compatible with its own policy of equality.

3. The University cites Oxford and Cambridge Universities has having set a precedent in implementing EJRA across the board. Cambridge do not have a generic EJRA – their EJRA is applicable only to established posts where posts become available through retirement. Oxford has imposed an EJRA.

The St Andrews UCU committee believes that an EJRA is against the freedom of staff to choose when to retire, given that each person has different financial and health requirements. The University should not impose an EJRA when the UK Government is opposed to a default retirement age.

We, the undersigned, are against the imposition of an EJRA policy at the University of St Andrews:

You do NOT need to be a UCU member to sign.