Trade Unions and Job Evaluation
Trade unions in Scotland have failed their members miserably - over the introduction of a new, modern and 'fit for purpose' job evaluation (JE) scheme.
A new non-discriminatory JE scheme was at the heart of the 1999 Single Status agreement - it was supposed to ensure a fairer and better deal for the many female dominated jobs - that were widely recognised as having been undervalued and underpaid for many years.
But nothing happened about job evaluation for years - until Action 4 Equality and Stefan Cross appeared on the scene - then the employers panicked - because their old pay structures were clapped out and blatantly discriminated against female dominated jobs.
Job evaluation provided a potential solution - or at least it did 10 years ago as part of a Scotland wide approach to delivering equal pay - but now the employers are trying to introduce it on the cheap - and the unions are letting them away with murder.
In some areas the unions have co-operated with introduction of a new JE scheme - sitting down in joint working parties with management - deciding and agreeing how jobs will be scored and graded - and effectively negotiating new pay structures.
A new non-discriminatory JE scheme was at the heart of the 1999 Single Status agreement - it was supposed to ensure a fairer and better deal for the many female dominated jobs - that were widely recognised as having been undervalued and underpaid for many years.
But nothing happened about job evaluation for years - until Action 4 Equality and Stefan Cross appeared on the scene - then the employers panicked - because their old pay structures were clapped out and blatantly discriminated against female dominated jobs.
Job evaluation provided a potential solution - or at least it did 10 years ago as part of a Scotland wide approach to delivering equal pay - but now the employers are trying to introduce it on the cheap - and the unions are letting them away with murder.
In some areas the unions have co-operated with introduction of a new JE scheme - sitting down in joint working parties with management - deciding and agreeing how jobs will be scored and graded - and effectively negotiating new pay structures.
In others the unions are just sitting on the sidelines - allowing management to walk right over the top of their members - with scarcely a murmur of protest.
For the most part ordinary members don't know what's going on - the unions have not explained the workings of local JE schemes - nor have they challenged what appear to be plainly ridiculous outcomes - such as Glasgow's Refuse Drivers leapfrogging over Home Carers and Home Care Co-ordinators when new grades were introduced (see post dated 2 May 2008).
How can the unions stand up for their members - what should ordinary union members be asking union reps to do?
Watch this space.
