North Ayrshire - STOP PRESS
North Ayrshire continues to make a mess of its new 'single status' pay and grading structures - which are being imposed despite the workforce voting to reject the council's proposals earlier this year.
Many clients have been in touch this week to complain that management and trade unions are less concerned about equal pay for women - and more exercised about protecting the earnings of the traditionally higher paid male groups.
Women's jobs - jobs that have been undervalued and underpaid for years - are still being held back while the management and unions agree to protect the higher pay of the higher paid jobs such as refuse workers.
To add insult to injury, management and the unions are now promising to redesign these jobs - so that they continue to be better paid for many years into the future.
Equal pay is about closing the pay gap - and treating male and female workers fairly. But what North Ayrshire is doing is reinforcing the pay gap and maintaining differentials - which is completely wrong and indefensible. (See post on Fife Council dated 4 April)
North Ayrshire is also getting people's backs up by placing many jobs at the bottom of the new pay scales - so that it takes several years in some cases for people to work their way to the top, which simply opens the door to further claims of age discrimination.
Why? Because no one can seriously expect an experienced worker with 5, 10 or 20 years service to start all over again - from the bottom of the pay ladder. No, this is just a mean spirited way of the council trying to save money on the back of its workers.
The best answer to these shenanigans is, of course, to register an equal pay claim - because instead of playing by the council's rules these issues are put before an independent external tribunal - which is not in the employer's pocket, unlike the trade unions.
So, don't be bullied and shoved around - take action and get the help you need to defend your interests.
Many clients have been in touch this week to complain that management and trade unions are less concerned about equal pay for women - and more exercised about protecting the earnings of the traditionally higher paid male groups.
Women's jobs - jobs that have been undervalued and underpaid for years - are still being held back while the management and unions agree to protect the higher pay of the higher paid jobs such as refuse workers.
To add insult to injury, management and the unions are now promising to redesign these jobs - so that they continue to be better paid for many years into the future.
Equal pay is about closing the pay gap - and treating male and female workers fairly. But what North Ayrshire is doing is reinforcing the pay gap and maintaining differentials - which is completely wrong and indefensible. (See post on Fife Council dated 4 April)
North Ayrshire is also getting people's backs up by placing many jobs at the bottom of the new pay scales - so that it takes several years in some cases for people to work their way to the top, which simply opens the door to further claims of age discrimination.
Why? Because no one can seriously expect an experienced worker with 5, 10 or 20 years service to start all over again - from the bottom of the pay ladder. No, this is just a mean spirited way of the council trying to save money on the back of its workers.
The best answer to these shenanigans is, of course, to register an equal pay claim - because instead of playing by the council's rules these issues are put before an independent external tribunal - which is not in the employer's pocket, unlike the trade unions.
So, don't be bullied and shoved around - take action and get the help you need to defend your interests.
