Eating Your Own Words
A council worker from Edinburgh City Council has been in touch - regarding the recent settlement for male claimants - see post dated 13 April 2011: 'Edinburgh Male Claimants'.
Here's my reply which explains the situation - not just in Edinburgh - but in many other councils across Scotland.
If you were given poor advice by your trade union - then members may be able to sue for any financial loss - because in these case the unions have been forced to eat their own words.
For example, the unions in South Lanarkshire Council have - until very recently - been saying that their members did not have valid equal pay claims.
But now they're singing a different tune - because of all the work done by Action 4 Equality Scotland, of course.
So if you've been given bad advice - don't just give up and give in - all may not be lost.
"Dear A
Male Claimants and Equal Pay
The only people who will benefit from the settlement with Edinburgh City Council - are those who have already lodged individual equal pay claims.
So, if you are an existing Action for Equality Scotland client, then you have nothing to worry about - the business of processing the settlement is now underway.
If you have not already registered a claim, then you will be excluded from this settlement - unfortunately.
In some areas, the trade unions actively discouraged male members from submitting equal pay claims in the past - telling members their claims had no chance of success.
But this advice was completely wrong as events have now shown - in Edinburgh and elsewhere.
Non-bonus earning male workers have always had valid equal pay claims, so long as the women's claims succeeded - which they have.
If you are in this position - and were actively discouraged from submitting a claim by your trade union - then you may be able to sue the union for your financial loss.
But that will depend on the individual facts and circumstances of your case.
Kind regards
Mark"
Here's my reply which explains the situation - not just in Edinburgh - but in many other councils across Scotland.
If you were given poor advice by your trade union - then members may be able to sue for any financial loss - because in these case the unions have been forced to eat their own words.
For example, the unions in South Lanarkshire Council have - until very recently - been saying that their members did not have valid equal pay claims.
But now they're singing a different tune - because of all the work done by Action 4 Equality Scotland, of course.
So if you've been given bad advice - don't just give up and give in - all may not be lost.
"Dear A
Male Claimants and Equal Pay
The only people who will benefit from the settlement with Edinburgh City Council - are those who have already lodged individual equal pay claims.
So, if you are an existing Action for Equality Scotland client, then you have nothing to worry about - the business of processing the settlement is now underway.
If you have not already registered a claim, then you will be excluded from this settlement - unfortunately.
In some areas, the trade unions actively discouraged male members from submitting equal pay claims in the past - telling members their claims had no chance of success.
But this advice was completely wrong as events have now shown - in Edinburgh and elsewhere.
Non-bonus earning male workers have always had valid equal pay claims, so long as the women's claims succeeded - which they have.
If you are in this position - and were actively discouraged from submitting a claim by your trade union - then you may be able to sue the union for your financial loss.
But that will depend on the individual facts and circumstances of your case.
Kind regards
Mark"
