ROH overwhelming pension vote

Royal Opera House members have voted by 89% to accept changes to their pension scheme.

While the scheme is to be closed to new members of staff from 1 April of this year, and employees' contributions increased by 2% to 8% from that date, the link between pensions and final salary has been retained.

Meanwhile the union is about to enter into negotiations on the stakeholder pension arrangements for staff who join after 1 April 2007.

Under the stakeholder scheme staff will contribute either 3% or 5%, and the ROH will double the level of employee contribution.

Members will also be eligible for three times their salary life insurance cover.