A review of USS, the national pension scheme for academic and academic-related staff in universities including Sussex, has entered a new phase: proposals from employers and unions at national level are now to be presented to a special Joint Negotiating Committee.
A review of USS has been under way since late 2008, when a national Joint Review Group of employers and union representatives was established under an independent chair.
The review has been taking place at a time when pension provision in the UK is changing rapidly. USS is subject to the same cost pressures as all final-salary schemes, and changes are needed to ensure that it remains sustainable, attractive and affordable.
Most final-salary schemes in private-sector companies have already been closed to new entrants and replaced by either a different kind of 'defined-benefit' pension arrangement or by a money-purchase or 'defined-contribution' scheme.
Nationally, both the employers and the union side have put forward their suggested packages for reform. It is clearly important that future costs are at an affordable level for employers and employees.
Increases in employers' contributions from 14% to 16% have already taken place during the period of the review, which has added some £1m a year in costs to Sussex.
The Joint Review Group was unable to reach agreement by the end of April. Instead, proposals from each side will go to the Joint Negotiating Committee in July.
Jane Summerville, Director of Human Resources, said: "No changes to USS have yet been made. As and when changes are finally proposed nationally, there will be consultation with USS members at Sussex and elsewhere.
Further information on the review of the USS can be found at www.sussex.ac.uk/humanresources/uss
USS is separate from the University of Sussex Pension and Assurance Scheme (USPAS) and the Sussex Group Stakeholder Scheme (SGSS), which are the local pension schemes for clerical, manual, ancillary and technical staff at Sussex.