WOMEN who were discriminated against for years because they were mothers or part time workers have already fought for their pensions in the European Courts of justice.

Now at the end of their working lives they are facing a second fight to keep the final salary pensions they are owed.

Originally Ford did not allow the workers to join its pension scheme and those who wanted to took the company to court.

One of those, Maxine Hill, 56, of Standard Road, Enfield Lock, said: “They said to us we were only working for pin money and living off our husbands so we wouldn't need a pension.”

The women brought the fight as far as the Royal Courts of Justice – and won in 1988.

When they were made redundant at the end of last year they sent a big hunk of their payoff straight into the pension scheme to make up for the years they were not able to pay.

Now they are seething that they may not see a return on their investment Mrs Hill added: “I put 31 and a half years into the pension fund, I've done my side of the deal and now I want to get my £800 a month. But I don't think I can live off what the PPF will pay.”

57-year-old Maria Trupia from Enfield Highway, added: “I'm really annoyed, I'm gutted. I left at Christmas because it was either go or work shift work. I didn't want to do that because I'd always worked evenings. I wanted a good pension at the end so I gave them £5,800 of my redundancy. If they take my pension away I won't ever get that back.”