General Update and Diary Dates
As regular readers know, we are pressing for all the outstanding equal pay cases to be dealt with as quickly as possible – here’s an extract from an earlier post in September 2009.
"Readers are regularly in touch asking for an update of what's happening in their own local area.
People are understandably frustrated that some employers have dragged their feet for so long. And there’s genuine anger that some employers have engaged in deliberate delaying tactics - registering pointless appeals, using public money - to slow down the tribunal process.
The current position across all councils is that we are pressing for GMF (Genuine Material Factor) or ‘defence’ hearings - to be held as soon as possible.
A GMF hearing requires the council to explain and try to justify the big differences in pay - between traditional male and female jobs.
Councils are no longer trying that these differences exist – the pay gap is now accepted as a matter of fact.
Over recent months GMF hearings have got underway with Glasgow, Fife and North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire Councils – further GMF dates are also in the process of being set for Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire Councils.
The significance of these GMF hearings is that the employers cannot frustrate and delay the process any longer – finally they have to stand up and justify their discriminatory actions.
And, of course, the employers talk to one another - what happens in one council has implications for the rest - particularly if there's a major development."
Here are some diary dates for the following councils – individual claimants are entitled to attend.
Fife - 26 October 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
West Dunbartonshire – 27 October 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
Clackmannanshire – 2 November 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
Falkirk – 18 November 2009(Case Management Discussion)
North Ayrshire – 9 to 27 November 2009 (continued GMF hearing)
Renfrewshire – 7 December 2009 (Pre-Hearing Review or PHR)
South Lanarkshire – 30 November and 9 to 18 December 2009 (continued PHR hearing)
Edinburgh – 15 to 19 February 2010 (start of GMF hearing)
Glasgow – 15 to 19 March 2010 (ongoing PHR re Compromise Agreements)
Fife – March 2010 (2 week GMF hearing to be listed, dates have still to be confirmed)
"Readers are regularly in touch asking for an update of what's happening in their own local area.
People are understandably frustrated that some employers have dragged their feet for so long. And there’s genuine anger that some employers have engaged in deliberate delaying tactics - registering pointless appeals, using public money - to slow down the tribunal process.
The current position across all councils is that we are pressing for GMF (Genuine Material Factor) or ‘defence’ hearings - to be held as soon as possible.
A GMF hearing requires the council to explain and try to justify the big differences in pay - between traditional male and female jobs.
Councils are no longer trying that these differences exist – the pay gap is now accepted as a matter of fact.
Over recent months GMF hearings have got underway with Glasgow, Fife and North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire Councils – further GMF dates are also in the process of being set for Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire Councils.
The significance of these GMF hearings is that the employers cannot frustrate and delay the process any longer – finally they have to stand up and justify their discriminatory actions.
And, of course, the employers talk to one another - what happens in one council has implications for the rest - particularly if there's a major development."
Here are some diary dates for the following councils – individual claimants are entitled to attend.
Fife - 26 October 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
West Dunbartonshire – 27 October 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
Clackmannanshire – 2 November 2009 (Case Management Discussion)
Falkirk – 18 November 2009(Case Management Discussion)
North Ayrshire – 9 to 27 November 2009 (continued GMF hearing)
Renfrewshire – 7 December 2009 (Pre-Hearing Review or PHR)
South Lanarkshire – 30 November and 9 to 18 December 2009 (continued PHR hearing)
Edinburgh – 15 to 19 February 2010 (start of GMF hearing)
Glasgow – 15 to 19 March 2010 (ongoing PHR re Compromise Agreements)
Fife – March 2010 (2 week GMF hearing to be listed, dates have still to be confirmed)
