This course will help union reps to:

• consider the basic pension environment, examining state pensions, occupational pensions, personal pensions and additional pensions
• become familiar with a range of resources, looking at published materials as well as those available on websites
• make extensive use of the TUC's online materials, all activities will have an online element
  

Prospect is to set up a network of workplace pensions champions to help members handle the many retirement choices they now face. Conference backed a proposal by the national executive to give full support to the TUC's pensions champions project.

People now understood pensions issues much better than in the past, but how they actually work is less well understood, said Audrey Uppington, moving the NEC motion. The TUC project aimed to explain to members at work the options available to them, she said. It includes a pensions website and the facility for members to build up their own personal pensions profile.

Officers at Connect, the trade union for professionals in communications, thought that the Pensions Champions project addressed some of the problems in the telecommunications industry and would appeal to their members. They were proved right after a note about it in their magazine, Connected, circular produced nearly 50 respondents who wanted to become champions.

Discussions between Connect and TUC tutors at the College of North East London produced a customised version of the course materials, targeting members in British Telecoms (BT). Ben Marshall, Head of Industrial Relations officer for the union and Jennifer Schofield, EC member and Chair of Connect’s Pensions Committee attended the course and provided detailed information on the BT pensions schemes.

The Pensions Champions site is now open for business! We've written some useful guidance on all types of pensions, and have a forum for any questions or opinions you'd like to share with us. We hope it's useful - do let^* us know what else you'd like to see from it.