Glasgow City Council Update

A regular reader of the blog site posted some succinct advice on Facebook for any union members in Glasgow receiving unsolicited letters on equal pay.

Susan Maxwell "Deffo Chuck it in the bin, a4e are doing the best job for their clients."

Now that made me laugh and it has the added advantage of being true as well.

Because the trade unions in Glasgow lost all credibility with their members years ago, back in 2006, when they helped senior Council management to sell very poor offers of settlement to the Council's largely female female workforce.

So when it comes to equal pay in Glasgow I would say that the local trade unions are trusted about as far as the average Glaswegian can carry an African elephant on their back.

Glasgow Update (11/04/16)

I said in a recent post that the unions in Glasgow had 'burst into fairy lights' after years of inactivity over equal pay.

Since then a number of readers have been in touch, long-standing clients of Action 4 Equality Scotland, to say that they've received unsolicited letters from Thompsons Solicitors, the lawyers now acting for the GMB after the union parted company with Digby Brown Solicitors.

Now I suspect this is all down to the cock-up rather than conspiracy theory of history, but the GMB is being very naughty by writing directly to union members who are being represented by Action 4 Equality Scotland.

So, any A4ES clients who receive such a letter from the GMB can throw it in the bin since your equal pay case is already in good hands, but it just goes to show you that the union's records must be in a terrible state.

Glasgow Update (29/03/16)

A number of readers from Glasgow have been in touch to say that the trade unions locally have suddenly 'burst into fairy lights' after years of activity over equal pay with unsolicited letters dropping through people's doors in recent days.

Now I'm not surprised about this, I have to say, because the trade unions in Glasgow lost all credibility after encouraging their members to accept very low offers of settlement back in 2005/06 - and as a result many of their lowest paid members (mainly women) lost out to the tune of  thousands of pounds.

A important letter explaining the implications of the recent Employment Appeal Tribunal decision is on its way to all A4ES claimants in Glasgow, but there is no need for people to take any action at this stage unless your personal circumstances have changed.

So sit tight, don't listen to nonsense from the trade unions locally and read the following post on what to do if your personal circumstances have changed since your equal pay claim was first registered with Action 4 Equality Scotland.

 

Action 4 Equality Scotland

Whenever there's a big development in relation to equal pay, as happened in Glasgow yesterday, Action 4 Equality Scotland gets inundated with enquiries from claimants, which is not at all surprising as there is an awful lot at stake.

Lots of people's personal details have changed address since their claims were first registered several years ago and anyone who falls into that category should send an email to the A4ES office confirming the following:

1 Change of name (if divorced and remarried)

2 Old address and post code

3 New address and post code

4 National Insurance (NI) number

5 Contact phone number and email address
6 Details of any job changes and/or date of retirement

Other claimants are anxious as to whether their claims are still valid after all these years later, but not everyone appreciates that their claims actually rest with Action 4 Equality Scotland - and not one of the various law firms (going back to Stefan Cross Solicitors) which have represented A4ES clients in the  employment tribunal proceedings over the years.

So if anyone was previously in receipt of correspondence from Stefan Cross Solicitors, Fox Cross Solicitors or Fox and Partners Solicitors, then your claim has been passed on to Action 4 Equality Scotland.

HBJ Gateley are now working with A4ES as far as the employment tribunal work is concerned and if you ask me, they are doing a mighty fine job as well.  

Please use email, wherever possible, to raise any queries because that is by far the best way to notify the A4ES office of any change in personal circumstances. 

 

Here are contact details for Action 4 Equality Scotland - including a new telephone number . 

Action 4 Equality Scotland
10 York Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EP

Email: enquiries@action4equality.co.uk

Phone: 0131 659 9958