Buying A Dog and Barking Yourself
A regular reader has been in touch - she already has an equal pay claim underway with Action 4 Equality Scotland.
But her enquiry is on behalf of two work colleagues - who have taken the issue up with their trade union.
Problem is that the union has asked the women to identify a 'comparator' - for the union to use in pursuing their claim.
Which is a bit like buying a dog - then doing all the barking yourself!
Because a 'comparator' is simply a higher earning male dominated job which - as the term implies - is used for comparative purposes - by women workers pursuing equal pay claims.
As the trade unions have negotiated the rates of pay for all jobs - it follows that the unions know who earns what - and why.
Putting the onus on union members to find their own comparator is completely crazy - it's turning equal pay into to some form of Do It Yourself adventure game - which begs the question:
'What are union members paying their dues for?"
So the answer for anyone in this position is to transfer their claims to Action 4 Equality Scotland - because having a dog and barking yourself is a terrible waste of time and energy.
But her enquiry is on behalf of two work colleagues - who have taken the issue up with their trade union.
Problem is that the union has asked the women to identify a 'comparator' - for the union to use in pursuing their claim.
Which is a bit like buying a dog - then doing all the barking yourself!
Because a 'comparator' is simply a higher earning male dominated job which - as the term implies - is used for comparative purposes - by women workers pursuing equal pay claims.
As the trade unions have negotiated the rates of pay for all jobs - it follows that the unions know who earns what - and why.
Putting the onus on union members to find their own comparator is completely crazy - it's turning equal pay into to some form of Do It Yourself adventure game - which begs the question:
'What are union members paying their dues for?"
So the answer for anyone in this position is to transfer their claims to Action 4 Equality Scotland - because having a dog and barking yourself is a terrible waste of time and energy.
