Menu
26/06/2013
Unison Wins Equal Pay Case
Nearly 2,000 women members of Unison are celebrating a historic equal pay victory today.
They have finally demolished the long-running defence by Scottish councils of paying men discriminatory bonuses that are denied to women.
The Unison members can expect to share in an estimated £12m in lost pay after the Supreme Court today handed down judgment in their favour in the seven-year case of North & Others v Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Having conceded that council bonuses were discriminatory, more than 20 Scottish councils joined Dumfries in arguing that women should only get equal pay compensation if they worked at the same location as their male comparators.
Unison had appealed after the Court of Session said the 251 classroom assistants, support for learning assistants and nursery nurses in Dumfries were not able to compare themselves with groundsmen, refuse collectors and drivers and leisure attendants who received bonuses, but were based at depots, not in the women's schools.
Today's judgment overturns that decision, saying that equal pay law which allows a woman to compare herself with a man "in the same employment" does apply, even though the women worked at different 'establishments'.
Unison General Secretary, Dave Prentis said: "I am delighted that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of our women members. It is a shame, though, that they have had to go through this process and endure a seven-year wait, just to get equal pay. Dumfries and Galloway Council should take immediate steps to correct their pay and I urge other councils to follow suit. We have more than 2,000 other cases on hold, waiting for this judgement.
"Employers should be in no doubt that this union will continue to pursue cases until all women are treated equally. There are far too many who are still discriminated against and far too many employers who are using every single legal argument and loophole to dodge their obligations under equal pay law."
(CD/JP)
They have finally demolished the long-running defence by Scottish councils of paying men discriminatory bonuses that are denied to women.
The Unison members can expect to share in an estimated £12m in lost pay after the Supreme Court today handed down judgment in their favour in the seven-year case of North & Others v Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Having conceded that council bonuses were discriminatory, more than 20 Scottish councils joined Dumfries in arguing that women should only get equal pay compensation if they worked at the same location as their male comparators.
Unison had appealed after the Court of Session said the 251 classroom assistants, support for learning assistants and nursery nurses in Dumfries were not able to compare themselves with groundsmen, refuse collectors and drivers and leisure attendants who received bonuses, but were based at depots, not in the women's schools.
Today's judgment overturns that decision, saying that equal pay law which allows a woman to compare herself with a man "in the same employment" does apply, even though the women worked at different 'establishments'.
Unison General Secretary, Dave Prentis said: "I am delighted that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of our women members. It is a shame, though, that they have had to go through this process and endure a seven-year wait, just to get equal pay. Dumfries and Galloway Council should take immediate steps to correct their pay and I urge other councils to follow suit. We have more than 2,000 other cases on hold, waiting for this judgement.
"Employers should be in no doubt that this union will continue to pursue cases until all women are treated equally. There are far too many who are still discriminated against and far too many employers who are using every single legal argument and loophole to dodge their obligations under equal pay law."
(CD/JP)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
19 August 2014
New Data Shows Women Hit By 'Mid-Life Pay Crisis'
Female managers over 40 years old are earning 35% less than men, according to new data by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. To earn the same as a male manager over a career, a woman would have to work the equivalent of over 14 years more.
New Data Shows Women Hit By 'Mid-Life Pay Crisis'
Female managers over 40 years old are earning 35% less than men, according to new data by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. To earn the same as a male manager over a career, a woman would have to work the equivalent of over 14 years more.
26 September 2008
Funding Boost Of £455m For Equal Pay Claims
Funding of £455m will be awarded to councils in England to allow back payments relating to thousands of equal pay claims from women workers. In a move to speed up long-term commitments to achieving equal pay for all council workers, local government minister John Healey gave the go-ahead to 34 councils to raise the money through capitlisation.
Funding Boost Of £455m For Equal Pay Claims
Funding of £455m will be awarded to councils in England to allow back payments relating to thousands of equal pay claims from women workers. In a move to speed up long-term commitments to achieving equal pay for all council workers, local government minister John Healey gave the go-ahead to 34 councils to raise the money through capitlisation.
27 February 2006
Report highlights gender pay gap in the UK
Women are still being paid less than men, thirty years after the introduction of equal pay legislation, a new report has found. The government-commissioned "Shaping a Fairer Future" report from the Women and Work Commission found that women are earning 17% less than men. This was "bad for women and bad for Britain", the report said.
Report highlights gender pay gap in the UK
Women are still being paid less than men, thirty years after the introduction of equal pay legislation, a new report has found. The government-commissioned "Shaping a Fairer Future" report from the Women and Work Commission found that women are earning 17% less than men. This was "bad for women and bad for Britain", the report said.
04 March 2009
EU Launches Campaign To Tackle Gender Pay Gap
The European Commission has launched an EU-wide campaign to help tackle the gender pay gap. Across the EU economy, women earn on average 17.4% less than men.
EU Launches Campaign To Tackle Gender Pay Gap
The European Commission has launched an EU-wide campaign to help tackle the gender pay gap. Across the EU economy, women earn on average 17.4% less than men.
27 January 2006
Prison staff receive £50 million equal pay deal
More than 3,000 equal pay disputes in the prison service have been settled in a deal worth around £50 million, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced. The union said that individual payouts would range from £500 to £50,000, depending on grade and the length of time an application has been lodged.
Prison staff receive £50 million equal pay deal
More than 3,000 equal pay disputes in the prison service have been settled in a deal worth around £50 million, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced. The union said that individual payouts would range from £500 to £50,000, depending on grade and the length of time an application has been lodged.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Clear start with a fairly widespread frost developing. Increasing cloud brings occasionally heavy rain overnight, preceded, especially over western hills, briefly by snow. Occasional southeasterly gales, severe near coasts, developing. Minimum temperature -2 °C.
