Snakes and Ladders in South Lanarkshire
Our recent meetings in South Lanarkshire have produced lots of interesting feedback from council employees. Here are a couple of some well known council jobs done mainly by women:
Cook in Charge (MW 5) and Home Carer (MW 5)
Both of these female jobs were graded at Manual Worker 5 (MW5) under the old, pre-Single Status job evaluation (JE) scheme.
The old JE scheme was discredited because it failed to take any account of the bonus earnings of the male jobs – everyone agreed that it badly undervalued the content of many female jobs.
Because even though the women’s jobs had a higher grade – they were actually paid much less than the men - because of hidden bonus payments to the male jobs.
Single Status and a new non-discriminatory JE scheme were supposed to put an end to this nonsense – and give the women a fairer deal.
Here are some typical male dominated council jobs - along with their old Manual Worker grades:
Gravedigger (MW 3)
Road Worker (MW3/4)
Gardener ((MW 4)
Refuse Driver (MW 4)
All of these male jobs had less content or ‘value’ than their female colleagues – which is why they were placed on lower grades than the Cook-in Charge and Home Carer.
So under a new improved and fairer JE scheme – you would expect the female jobs to still come out on top – or fare even better.
But what has actually happened in South Lanarkshire – is that the female jobs have all been leapfrogged by the men – here are the new Single Status pay arrangements (at 2007/08 pay rates).
Home Carer (SCP 1– 16 = £6.65 to £7.27 per hour)
Cook-in-Charge (SCP 10–16 = £5.81 to £7.27 per hour)
Gravedigger (SCP 18–25 = £7.48 to £8.31 per hour)
Road Worker (SCP 1-31 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
Gardener (SCP 25–28 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
Refuse Driver (SCP 25–28 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
The point is that if Single Status in South Lanarkshire were a game of snakes and ladders – the women's jobs have somehow landed on all the snakes – while the male jobs have miraculously managed to find all the ladders!
Watch this space - more to follow.
Cook in Charge (MW 5) and Home Carer (MW 5)
Both of these female jobs were graded at Manual Worker 5 (MW5) under the old, pre-Single Status job evaluation (JE) scheme.
The old JE scheme was discredited because it failed to take any account of the bonus earnings of the male jobs – everyone agreed that it badly undervalued the content of many female jobs.
Because even though the women’s jobs had a higher grade – they were actually paid much less than the men - because of hidden bonus payments to the male jobs.
Single Status and a new non-discriminatory JE scheme were supposed to put an end to this nonsense – and give the women a fairer deal.
Here are some typical male dominated council jobs - along with their old Manual Worker grades:
Gravedigger (MW 3)
Road Worker (MW3/4)
Gardener ((MW 4)
Refuse Driver (MW 4)
All of these male jobs had less content or ‘value’ than their female colleagues – which is why they were placed on lower grades than the Cook-in Charge and Home Carer.
So under a new improved and fairer JE scheme – you would expect the female jobs to still come out on top – or fare even better.
But what has actually happened in South Lanarkshire – is that the female jobs have all been leapfrogged by the men – here are the new Single Status pay arrangements (at 2007/08 pay rates).
Home Carer (SCP 1– 16 = £6.65 to £7.27 per hour)
Cook-in-Charge (SCP 10–16 = £5.81 to £7.27 per hour)
Gravedigger (SCP 18–25 = £7.48 to £8.31 per hour)
Road Worker (SCP 1-31 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
Gardener (SCP 25–28 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
Refuse Driver (SCP 25–28 = £8.31 to £8.69 per hour)
The point is that if Single Status in South Lanarkshire were a game of snakes and ladders – the women's jobs have somehow landed on all the snakes – while the male jobs have miraculously managed to find all the ladders!
Watch this space - more to follow.
