Glasgow City Council Update
Action 4 Equality Scotland received notice this week that its request to seek 'leave to appeal' the recent Employment Appeal Tribunal decision has been granted on all grounds.
Now this request was a precautionary move designed to protect the interests of A4ES clients in the event that Glasgow City Council chooses a prolonged legal battle, in preference to resolving its outstanding equal pay claims by negotiation.
A4ES has indicated to the Council that a settlement is possible based on the existing EAT judgment which concluded that female dominated jobs were less favourably treated back in 2006 when GCC introduced its new WPBR pay arrangements.
The Council has also appealed the EAT decision and there is no sign, so far at least, that the Labour administration is prepared to enter into settlement negotiations which means that real progress may depend on bringing about political change in Glasgow City Council, as well as continuing the fight through the courts.
If an appeal does proceed to the Court of Session (Scotland's highest civil court), Action 4 Equality Scotland will be challenging the validity of the GCC job evaluation scheme (WPBR) and the operation of non-core pay elements known as WCD (Working Context and Demands) and NSWP (Non-Standard Working Patterns).
The existing EAT decision found in the claimants favour on the question of the Council's protection arrangements and the speed at which female dominated jobs move through the WPBR's incremental scales, i.e. less favourably than traditional male jobs.
A4ES has reached satisfactory settlements with a number of other councils recently: South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Fife and Falkirk Councils have all accepted the need for an agreement covering the protection period and assimilation arrangements, following the introduction of new pay arrangements.
Glasgow now stands on its own, in splendid isolation, because the Council refused to deal with the issues of pay protection and pay assimilation as part of a comprehensive settlement back in 2006.
Which is why the issue has comeback to haunt the City Council in 2016.
Death Wish 2017 (29/04/16)
I've had lots of comments about the political leadership in Glasgow City Council which seems to have developed a 'death wish' in relation to next year's local council elections which are to be held in May 2017.
Time to get Labour out
New leadership needed in Glasgow people why drag this out
If the government can't step in on councils, then how can they impose a pay rise cap on public sector employees?
Totally utter disgrace. pay the people who you've underpaid for all these years. Vote the LABOUR COUNCILLORS OUT
Ive emailed my msp he won't get my vote I hope Glasgow now get these map's out
Labour definitely won't be getting my vote and I've let my colleagues know about this also
All the more reason to turn the heat up on Labour over the coming days and once the outcome of the Scottish Parliament elections is known next week - remember polling day is Thursday 5th May.
