UNISON Calls On Coventry City Council To Face Equal Pay Facts, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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UNISON, the UK's largest pubic sector union, is warning Coventry City Council to "face the fact that equal pay is not a take it or leave it piece of legislation, but the law of the land". The union is calling on the council to stop wasting residents' money fighting equal pay claims made by the union on behalf of 250 low paid women council workers.

The women have already moved a step closer to getting equal pay after a tribunal ruled that there was no good reason why they should not get the same bonus payments as men.

UNISON argued at the Birmingham tribunal that the women, including home care workers, cleaners, school cooks and admin. workers were entitled to equal pay with refuse collectors who received a bonus on top of their pay. The tribunal did not accept the council's argument there were good reasons why the men got it and the women did not.

Valerie Broom, UNISON West Midlands Regional Secretary, said:

"For years Coventry, just like other councils, stuck its collective head in the sand, hoping the problem would go away. It didn't and UNISON will make sure that it remains on their radar until they get round the table with us and agree a deal that brings in equal pay for the future.

"I am sure the people of Coventry want to see their money spent on improving services not wasted on mounting legal bills fighting the inevitable. Coventry city council must face the fact that equal pay is not a take it or leave it piece of legislation, but the law of the land.

"The women were paid almost half the wages of the men. If their work is accepted as being of equal value to the men's, they could be entitled to up to 6 years back pay."

This decision is the latest in a long line of legal cases that UNISON has been taking against employers across the UK in its campaign for equal pay for women.

It warned local government employers 10 years ago that it would prefer to negotiate new equal pay scales, but would not flinch from taking legal action to force them into the 21st century.

http://www.unison.org.uk