West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire continues to be a hotbed of activity - with many people understandably up in arms about the council going back on its word to backdate the outcome of the Job Evaluation (JE) exercise.
The council is making a big play of its 'generous' proposal to pay £1500 - to employees who agree to accept the new pay and grading arrangements on a voluntary basis - but this offer is really a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Why? Because this payment - a 'realignment' payment, so-called by the council - is essentially trying to persuade people to agree to a change of contract - and aims to discourage employees from pursuing an equal pay claim to the Employment Tribunals.
Many former APT&C employees - groups like clerical workers and possibly classroom assistants - have just as valid equal pay claims as former manual workers - see post dated 2 September 2008 for a more detailed explanation.
But the council is making offers of settlement only to the former manual worker groups - and hoping that the rest of the workforce won't notice what's going on.
So, the best thing that the former APT&C groups can do is to bang in an equal pay claim - which will compare their earnings with those of male dominated groups within the council - such as refuse workers and gardeners - because these male jobs are traditionally much better paid.
The council is making a big play of its 'generous' proposal to pay £1500 - to employees who agree to accept the new pay and grading arrangements on a voluntary basis - but this offer is really a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Why? Because this payment - a 'realignment' payment, so-called by the council - is essentially trying to persuade people to agree to a change of contract - and aims to discourage employees from pursuing an equal pay claim to the Employment Tribunals.
Many former APT&C employees - groups like clerical workers and possibly classroom assistants - have just as valid equal pay claims as former manual workers - see post dated 2 September 2008 for a more detailed explanation.
But the council is making offers of settlement only to the former manual worker groups - and hoping that the rest of the workforce won't notice what's going on.
So, the best thing that the former APT&C groups can do is to bang in an equal pay claim - which will compare their earnings with those of male dominated groups within the council - such as refuse workers and gardeners - because these male jobs are traditionally much better paid.
