School Janitors and Duff Advice
School janitors are a predominantly male group of workers who - along with many others - have been badly let down by poor advice from their trade unions.
School janitors were on some of the highest old manual worker grades (MW 5, 6 and 7) reflecting their responsibilities - but just like many women workers they still routinely earned much less than the bonus earning male groups on lower grades - such as refuse workers, gardeners, gravediggers etc.
When Action 4 Equality came along and lifted the lid off equal pay - we advised school janitors and other male groups that they too had valid equal pay claims - although they relied on the women workers winning their claims first.
At the time, the unions rubbished this advice claims and told their male members that they were wasting their time. In Glasgow, for example, where the GMB union represents most of the school janitors local officials laughed in their members faces - and told them not to waste the union's time.
But now the trade unions' have egg all over their faces - because the Employment Tribunals in a recent test case (Abbott and others v South Tyneside Council) have agreed with Stefan Cross and Action 4 Equality - by deciding that male workers do indeed have valid equal pay claims.
Male claims are limited to the date when the first female claims were registered - in many cases around October 2005 - but the judgment also means that if employers leave the male groups out of local equal pay settlements - then the male workers can complain of deliberate, direct sex discrimination - and raise a separate claim for 'injury to feelings'.
The bottom line is that these male groups are still very much at the races when it comes to equal pay - and still have valuable claims - notwithstanding the visible lack of trade union support for their own members.
School janitors were on some of the highest old manual worker grades (MW 5, 6 and 7) reflecting their responsibilities - but just like many women workers they still routinely earned much less than the bonus earning male groups on lower grades - such as refuse workers, gardeners, gravediggers etc.
When Action 4 Equality came along and lifted the lid off equal pay - we advised school janitors and other male groups that they too had valid equal pay claims - although they relied on the women workers winning their claims first.
At the time, the unions rubbished this advice claims and told their male members that they were wasting their time. In Glasgow, for example, where the GMB union represents most of the school janitors local officials laughed in their members faces - and told them not to waste the union's time.
But now the trade unions' have egg all over their faces - because the Employment Tribunals in a recent test case (Abbott and others v South Tyneside Council) have agreed with Stefan Cross and Action 4 Equality - by deciding that male workers do indeed have valid equal pay claims.
Male claims are limited to the date when the first female claims were registered - in many cases around October 2005 - but the judgment also means that if employers leave the male groups out of local equal pay settlements - then the male workers can complain of deliberate, direct sex discrimination - and raise a separate claim for 'injury to feelings'.
The bottom line is that these male groups are still very much at the races when it comes to equal pay - and still have valuable claims - notwithstanding the visible lack of trade union support for their own members.
It's not too late to register a claim - if you know of anyone who falls into his category - tell them the news and spread the word.
Jannies of the world unite - you have nothing to lose and much to gain!
