£500m victory in the battle for equal pay

Council facing huge bill after thousands of women workers win their court fight

THOUSANDS of women were celebrating yesterday after winning their equal pay fight in a case which could cost Scotland’s largest council £500million.

Glasgow City Council will have to make payouts to thousands of female workers after the Court of Session ruled a 2007 pay scheme designed to close the gender wage gap had discriminated against women.

Action 4 Equality Scotland represented 6000 staff in the long-running case. Their lawyer Stefan Cross QC said: “This is great news for low-paid women workers.

“The council faces a mammoth bill of £500million after stubbornly refusing to face up to its equal pay obligations for the past 12 years.”

He warned the authority are likely to face a “huge influx” of claims from former staff.

Women employed as carers, cleaners, catering staff, classroom assistants and clerical staff were typically paid £3 an hour less than men in low-paid roles, A4ES said.

The council accepted in 2005 that their pay arrangements could not be justified, with settlements being made to staff with equal pay claims.

But in March last year the Employment Appeal Tribunal found that the women were entitled to make additional claims.

And yesterday the Court of Session ruled that the council’s evaluation scheme was not fair to women.

Council leader Susan Aitken said officers would need time to consider the implications. But she said councillors were elected on a commitment to resolving equal pay cases, adding: “The ruling has not changed that position.”