Glasgow City Council workers continue equal pay fight

Women fighting for equal pay have gathered outside Glasgow City Council chambers to demand their claims be settled.

The local authority has around 10,000 cases outstanding, where female dominated roles are paid less than males on the same pay scale.

Most UNISON members who have equal pay claims work in mainly female dominated occupations like Homecare, Schools, Libraries, Cleaning, Catering and Administration.

A spokesperson for UNISON Glasgow City branch, said: “UNISON is very clear that the council should not delay Pay Justice for our members, so far the council have stated the intention is to settle but the latest action has been to seek leave to appeal which means one thing, delays.

"UNISON members demand that the council pay up and deliver Equal Pay for Equal work in our city. Many of our members work in low paid employment and struggle to get by on the pay they currently receive, if you work in a female dominated job you deserve the dignity and respect of being paid equally to male dominated jobs! ”

“UNISON lawyers, along with the lawyers of all other claimants, are pushing the council to settle in full as soon as possible. The council leaders and senior officers should be putting more effort in rather than seeking to drag matters out.

"The council’s decision to seek “leave to appeal” the second part of the judgement to the UK Supreme Court just looks like another delaying tactic despite the council leader’s comments about how that doesn’t mean the council will actually appeal.

"UNISON calls on the new SNP council leaders to act differently from their Labour predecessors who often used delaying, hard line approaches to workforce matters. Pay up now we say!"

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken says they are working to resolve the disputes.

Cllr 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.

“We have already done more in the last six months to put that right than had been achieved in the last decade. We are round the table and we are talking.