Sunday Herald (2)
Last week's Sunday Herald newspaper featured a letter from Unison's regional secretary, Matt Smith, which purported to be about equal pay, but was really just another feeble attack on Stefan Cross.
The Sunday Herald has today printed Stefan's reply which is reproduced below for information:
The Editor
Sunday Herald
Dear Sir
Matt Smith's letter of 7 December 2008 (Pay deals unpicked) is riddled with error and distortion.
So, let the facts speak for themselves.
Glasgow City Council is currently defending 5190 equal pay claims at the Employment Tribunals. Stefan Cross Solicitors is acting for 4,561 of these claimants (i.e. 88%) whereas Unison represents only 322, or 6%.
Mr Smith is wrong to boast that his trade union is leading the fight on equal pay - that isn't true.
The trade unions in Scotland kept their women members in the dark about equal pay for years, while continuing to strike local deals that favoured traditional male jobs.
The local authority employers are now being forced to take action on equal pay, but that has only come about because of the intervention by Stefan Cross Solicitors and Action 4 Equality Scotland.
The uncomfortable truth for Mr Smith and his fellow union bosses is that they have turned a blind eye to pay discrimination and failed to put their own house in order.
Stefan Cross
The old saying about 'people who live in glass houses' springs to mind!
The Sunday Herald has today printed Stefan's reply which is reproduced below for information:
The Editor
Sunday Herald
Dear Sir
Matt Smith's letter of 7 December 2008 (Pay deals unpicked) is riddled with error and distortion.
So, let the facts speak for themselves.
Glasgow City Council is currently defending 5190 equal pay claims at the Employment Tribunals. Stefan Cross Solicitors is acting for 4,561 of these claimants (i.e. 88%) whereas Unison represents only 322, or 6%.
Mr Smith is wrong to boast that his trade union is leading the fight on equal pay - that isn't true.
The trade unions in Scotland kept their women members in the dark about equal pay for years, while continuing to strike local deals that favoured traditional male jobs.
The local authority employers are now being forced to take action on equal pay, but that has only come about because of the intervention by Stefan Cross Solicitors and Action 4 Equality Scotland.
The uncomfortable truth for Mr Smith and his fellow union bosses is that they have turned a blind eye to pay discrimination and failed to put their own house in order.
Stefan Cross
The old saying about 'people who live in glass houses' springs to mind!
