Warning over council failure to deal with equal pay

The First Minister has been warned that local councils’ refusal to engage with equal pay claims could have “disastrous” consequences for Scottish communities.

GMB Scotland has called on Humza Yousaf to support the creation of a new specialist body to decide on such claims across the country and to enforce awards.

The union, which represents low-paid women workers across the public sector, said retrospective claims for hundreds of millions of pounds could bankrupt local authorities.

The warning came as Falkirk Council home care workers, who are mostly women on low wages, began four days of strikes yesterday.

They will also strike next Wednesday alongside Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire council care staff.

The strikes come after the workers rejected internal reviews of their pay grade, stating their role and responsibilities have increased significantly since last being assessed.

GMB Scotland secretary, Louise Gilmour, wrote to Mr Yousaf, asking for a new specialist body to decide on equal pay claims across the country, stating local authorities are not doing so.

Shesaid:“scotland'scouncils are approaching equal pay claims like the Titanic approaching the iceberg.

“Councillors have their heads in the sand and executives have their fingers in their ears but these equal pay claims will come, will be won, and will need to be settled.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Councils are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including on equal pay.

“In the face of a profoundly challenging financial situation, the Scottish Government is making available record funding of more than £14 billion to councils in 2024-25.”