Equal pay bill could cost £500m
GLASGOW City Council could be hit with a £500m bill as a pay claim was upheld in the Court of Session.
Women have been fighting for the past 12 years to have council bosses pay them wages and bonuses equivalent to men. Now a ruling will force bosses to put their hands in their pockets.
A NEW success for women battling for equal pay could see Glasgow City Council pay out an estimated half a billion pounds.
After a 12-year fight, thousands of women have now won a historic pay claim, securing a ruling that states Glasgow City Council’s salary system is weighted against female workers.
It is the second ruling at the Court of Session in favour of the women.
A ruling in May paved the way for thousands of women to make equal pay claims at an estimated cost to the council of tens of millions.
This second ruling, passed down yesterday by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian; Lady Paton and Lord Menzies, opens the door for former employees who left the council up to five years ago to make a pay claim.
It also challenges the pay and benefits system for the overall workforce.
Glasgow City Council said it was not yet able to estimate how much this might cost the authority but lawyers for the claimants said it could be £500million.
Female workers who are claiming against the council through campaign group Action 4 Equality (Scotland) are delighted.
Frances Stojilkovic, a Glasgow Home Care Coordinator and A4ES client said: “Home carers in Glasgow are all over the moon because we’ve finally got the recognition our jobs deserve, after being so badly undervalued and underpaid for all this time.”
Unions and lawyers now hope the council, whose new SNP administration has said it is committed to equal pay, will now negotiate a deal.
Stefan Cross QC, of Action 4 Equality (Scotland), said: “There is now bound to be a huge influx of new cases against the City Council, which faces a mammoth bill of £500m after stubbornly refusing to face up to its equal pay obligations for the past 12 years.
“Once again we urge Glasgow City Council to get round the table to re- solve these issues once and for all. ”
Unions argue their female members such as carers, cleaners, catering staff, classroom assistants, clerical workers and so on were typically paid £3 an hour less than male gardeners, gravediggers or binmen.
“That can add up to a shortfall for women of £5000 per year.
Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken said: “The City Government was elected on a commitment to improve industrial relations in Glasgow City Council, including resolving inherited outstanding equal pay cases. Today’s ruling has not changed that position.”