Compare and Contrast
The real issue at the heart of the equal pay debate - is that many female dominated jobs have been underpaid and undervalued for years.
Since at least 1999 when Scotland agreed to a new Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement - which outlawed such blatant pay discrimination between traditional male and female jobs.
In the years that followed, low paid women workers lost money - substantial amounts of money - up to £6,000 per year in the case of a full-time carer or cook, for example.
The financial losses that the women have suffered form the basis of their 'compensation' offers from the councils employers - and many low paid workers have been 'encouraged' to accept poor settlements which do not make up for what the women lost over these years.
During that period the unions said or did very little about equal pay - until Action 4 Equality Scotland came along in 2005 and began to explain the size of the pay gap between male and female jobs - which the employers and the unions had kept hidden from a largely female workforce.
But just look at the difference when a group of male workers stands to lose out from Single Status - a reader has sent us the following press notice advertising a benefit rally in Leeds where the refuse workers are on strike.
Since at least 1999 when Scotland agreed to a new Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement - which outlawed such blatant pay discrimination between traditional male and female jobs.
In the years that followed, low paid women workers lost money - substantial amounts of money - up to £6,000 per year in the case of a full-time carer or cook, for example.
The financial losses that the women have suffered form the basis of their 'compensation' offers from the councils employers - and many low paid workers have been 'encouraged' to accept poor settlements which do not make up for what the women lost over these years.
During that period the unions said or did very little about equal pay - until Action 4 Equality Scotland came along in 2005 and began to explain the size of the pay gap between male and female jobs - which the employers and the unions had kept hidden from a largely female workforce.
But just look at the difference when a group of male workers stands to lose out from Single Status - a reader has sent us the following press notice advertising a benefit rally in Leeds where the refuse workers are on strike.
GMB AND UNISON ANNOUNCE “REFUSE TO BE BEAT” BENEFIT GIG AND RALLY IN LEEDS ON SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2009
Strike over £6000 pay cuts about to go into fifth week
The details of the ‘Refuse To The Beat’ benefit gig are as follows:
Refuse to be Beat - with Keith Allen and his 12 piece band
With very special guests and appearances on the night!
Benefit gig and Rally in support of the refuse strike
Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary and Dave Prentis Unison General Secretary will attend the event and both will speak at the rally and will attend the picket line on Monday 19th October.
Now we say 'Good luck' to the refuse workers in Leeds - because Single Status and Equal Pay were never about levelling people's wages down - but about bringing the women's pay up - to at least the same level as the men.
Yet the difference between how the unions act when women are losing out - compared to the men - is incredible.
In all the years since 1999 (1997 in England) - the unions have not held strikes, or run big well resourced national campaigns with the general secretaries present - to condemn the fact that their women members were losing £6,000 per year.
Yet the difference between how the unions act when women are losing out - compared to the men - is incredible.
In all the years since 1999 (1997 in England) - the unions have not held strikes, or run big well resourced national campaigns with the general secretaries present - to condemn the fact that their women members were losing £6,000 per year.
