Plaid Assembly Members have tabled a statement of opinion supporting former Allied Steel & Wire workers in their campaign to be paid 100% compensation for the loss of their pensions.

The ASW workers lost their livelihood and their pensions when the firm went bankrupt in 2002. Since then they have been campaigning for justice. The ex steelworkers will be outside the Senedd to highlight the issue with Assembly Members.

Mr Chris Franks of Plaid said that "Plaid is calling on the First Minister to discuss with Mr Gordon Brown's Government ways in which the former ASW workers can get 100% compensation for losses from their pensions. We tabled this statement of opinion to support the long campaign fought by the former ASW workers. The workers' pensions would have been safe if the UK Government had provided the protections it assured the workers had been put in place."

He added that "The workers and pensioners in Northern Rock, Bradford and Bingley and other failed banks have had 100% protection for their pensions, despite the Pension Protection Fund never promising 100% replacement for failed company workers' pensions."

South Wales Central AM Mr Leanne Wood said tat "These pension campaigners have to be congratulated for their tireless campaign. The Parliamentary Ombudsman recommended that former workers should be paid 100% compensation. They are demanding that the recommendations are implemented in full."

He added that "The Government in London has indicated that due to the economic crisis that there is no money in the public purse to pay them back what they put in, regardless of the Ombudsman's recommendations. These workers lost their pensions in 2002 way before this economic crisis began. They have been determined in the quest for justice and since then we fully support their cause."

(Sourced from www.newswales.co.uk)