Thousands of female Glasgow City Council employees will share a pay out of up to £50million. The Court of Session determined that the women had missed out on large bonuses for a number of years. Furthermore, the employees suffered discrimination for three years while they attempted to resolve their equal pay claims.
Unfair discrimination
Approximately 6,000 female workers, mostly carers, caterers and cleaners, launched legal action through trade unions GMB and Unison. Unions argued the council had discriminated against the claimants before the introduction of the new system, ten years ago. And the council continued to discriminate by its unequal pay practices in excluding female claimants from pay protection.
Councils for review of council pay system
Unison asked the Court of Session to consider whether the present council pay structure is lawful. It challenged the council’s method of calculating the value of jobs, as it was particularly concerned about the use of different scales. The council used one for core pay and others for non-core pay. The union argued that the system meant employees wouldn’t know whether they were receiving equal pay or not.
Pay out to cost millions
The unions expect the amount of money paid out from just this case will cost the city council up to tens of millions of pounds, with suggestions of a figure of over £50million to cover back-dated claims.
Glasgow City Council say they do not plan to appeal the legal ruling.
