PICTURE / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY
Glasgow’s councillors will meet tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss a proposed pay deal that has been struck in a bid to end the city’s long-running equal pay dispute.
Last month the council, UNISON, GMB and Action for Equality confirmed there is an agreement in principle on a package of payments to settle equal pay claims.
If the Council Administration Committee ratify the agreement, the framework will be used to calculate and agree payments for the thousands of claimants involved.
UNISON and GMB unions will mark the occasion with a rally outside Glasgow City Chambers tomorrow from 12pm, when the decision of the committee is due to be announced.
Mary Dawson, UNISON Glasgow branch chair, said: “This is an important step in a long campaign for equal pay for women and men working in Glasgow City Council. The agreement will represent compensation for the pay lost due to a discriminatory pay and grading system in place for over 12 years.
“UNISON pays tribute to our members’ determination to take strike action, their courage and strength which has finally paid off and strong, united campaign supported by all the claimant groups which helped achieve this victory.”
Mandy McDowall, UNISON regional organiser, said: “This agreement will bring us another step closer to equal pay and to ending this long-standing pay injustice. Glasgow’s women have been fighting for over 12 years and it’s only right they take time to reflect on what they’ve achieved and the support they’ve received from across the city and beyond.
“There is still a long way to go to removing pay inequality but this marks a milestone in that process.”
ENDS
PHOTO / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY
You are invited to send a reporter, photographer and/or crew to the equal pay rally tomorrow, Thursday, February 7, at 12pm, outside Glasgow City Chambers. Available to interview on the day will be UNISON Glasgow branch chair Mary Dawson; UNISON official Jennifer McCarey and equal pay claimants. If you would like to arrange any interviews in advance of the rally with the women involved in the equal pay dispute, please contact Jennifer McCarey on 07958 121 118.
For further information please contact:
Mary Dawson, UNISON Glasgow branch chair, 0141 552 7069 / 07894 250 067
Jennifer McCarey, UNISON area organiser, 07958 121 118
Trisha Hamilton / Danny Phillips, UNISON communications officer, 0141 342 2877
Further information:
Once the Central Administration Committee approves the deal, council finance and administrative staff will process the pay data of each claimant to produce a settlement offer. Due to the number of claims and complexity of the pay system, this is likely to take several weeks, so offers are unlikely to be issued before June 2019. It is likely that payments will be made by July 2019.
Please visit our equal pay page