Glasgow - Equal Pay Update
Lots of readers enjoyed my post about the shameless comments from Unison's Mike Kirby in response to the Court of Session judgment on Glasgow City Council and equal pay.
I thought Brian hit the nail on the head with his acute observation that you:
Which drew he following response from Alexis:
Quite so, I'm sure there will be lots of Unison members in Glasgow who are furious at the efforts of some of their former 'leaders' to rewrite their role in history.
Understandably, if you ask me.
Glasgow - Equal Pay Update(19/08/17)
I nearly died laughing at the comments issued by Unison, in Mike Kirby's name, after the Court of Session released its unanimous decision in the big Glasgow City Council equal pay appeal.
The reason for my uncontrolled hilarity is that Mike was a 'big cheese' in the Glasgow Unison branch 10 years ago when:
- the local trade unions in Glasgow actively supported the introduction of the City Council's WPBR pay scheme back in 2007
- the local trade unions in Glasgow agreed to introduce a cockamamy, in-house job evaluation (JE) scheme against national the advice of national union officials
- the local trade unions in Glasgow backed the City Council's scheme to cap settlement offers to equal pay claimants at a maximum of just £9,000.I
I've highlighted Mike Kirby's comments below which are taken from the BBC Scotland web site, but if you ask me it just goes to show you that some people have no shame.
"This judgement that the Glasgow scheme is flawed is great news for low paid women workers.
"The way Glasgow rates and pays workers has been the source of conflict and division for ten years.
"These women have already waited long enough to receive the pay they have worked hard for and deserve. It's time for Glasgow City Council to do the right thing and pay up on equal pay."
So I plan to send Mike a bottle of Brasso which can put to good use in polishing up his brass neck.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-40975929
Campaigners hail Glasgow City Council equal pay ruling
BBC - Glasgow & West Scotland
Image caption - Campaigners claim home workers were paid less than workers in male-dominated jobs
Lawyers representing low-paid women workers at Glasgow City Council have won a long-running equal pay case.
The Court of Session decided a re-grading scheme introduced in 2007 may have provided less favourable treatment for women workers.
Campaigners argued that women such as home carers were left earning thousands of pounds less than men in jobs such as gravedigging or refuse collection.
Glasgow City Council said it would consider the impact of the ruling.
The judgement is the latest in a series of complex cases concerning the way jobs were re-graded by councils to address equal pay issues.
In May the court ruled that thousands of women employed by the council had been excluded from bonuses for years.
The latest judgement quashed an earlier ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal that the council's job evaluation scheme was valid in terms of equal pay laws.
The judges said the burden of proof rested with the council to demonstrate that it complied with the law - and that it had failed to produce sufficient expert evidence to do so.
Lawyers representing low-paid women workers at Glasgow City Council have won a long-running equal pay case.
The Court of Session decided a re-grading scheme introduced in 2007 may have provided less favourable treatment for women workers.
Campaigners argued that women such as home carers were left earning thousands of pounds less than men in jobs such as gravedigging or refuse collection.
Glasgow City Council said it would consider the impact of the ruling.
The judgement is the latest in a series of complex cases concerning the way jobs were re-graded by councils to address equal pay issues.
In May the court ruled that thousands of women employed by the council had been excluded from bonuses for years.
The latest judgement quashed an earlier ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal that the council's job evaluation scheme was valid in terms of equal pay laws.
The judges said the burden of proof rested with the council to demonstrate that it complied with the law - and that it had failed to produce sufficient expert evidence to do so.
Image copyright - GETTY IMAGES Image caption - Glasgow City Council introduced a unified job grading scheme in 2007 but campaigned argue it was flawed
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "This is a complex ruling about a complex matter. It is right that the council takes some time to consider the immediate impact and wider ramifications of this ruling.
"Council officers will require time to consider all the implications of this ruling, but I have instructed them to continue to speak to the trade unions about the application of the pay and grading scheme.
"We have recently settled the long running janitors' dispute and we are actively working with the trade unions to settle all cases relating to pay protection, where a number of women continued to be paid unequally even after the introduction of the new pay and grading system."
She added: "The city government was elected on a commitment to improve industrial relations in Glasgow City Council, including resolving inherited outstanding equal pay cases. Today's ruling has not changed that position."
'Great news'
About 6,000 women are already pursuing equal pay claims against the council, but campaigners said the ruling could lead to many more.
The trade union Unison said the re-grading scheme was unfair because it made it impossible for employees to know if they were being paid equal pay for equal work.
Unison's Scottish secretary Mike Kirby said: "This judgement that the Glasgow scheme is flawed is great news for low paid women workers.
"The way Glasgow rates and pays workers has been the source of conflict and division for ten years.
"These women have already waited long enough to receive the pay they have worked hard for and deserve. It's time for Glasgow City Council to do the right thing and pay up on equal pay."
Action 4 Equality Scotland (A4ES) - which represents thousands of claimants - said the council's pay arrangements resulted in people employed in female-dominated roles, such as home care, receiving on average £3 an hour less than those in traditionally male roles.
Stefan Cross QC, from A4ES, said: "We have been saying for years that the city council could not justify paying highly skilled, hard working staff like home carers so much less than gardeners, gravediggers and refuse workers."
The Court of Session has now asked the Employment Tribunal to reconsider the matter.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "This is a complex ruling about a complex matter. It is right that the council takes some time to consider the immediate impact and wider ramifications of this ruling.
"Council officers will require time to consider all the implications of this ruling, but I have instructed them to continue to speak to the trade unions about the application of the pay and grading scheme.
"We have recently settled the long running janitors' dispute and we are actively working with the trade unions to settle all cases relating to pay protection, where a number of women continued to be paid unequally even after the introduction of the new pay and grading system."
She added: "The city government was elected on a commitment to improve industrial relations in Glasgow City Council, including resolving inherited outstanding equal pay cases. Today's ruling has not changed that position."
'Great news'
About 6,000 women are already pursuing equal pay claims against the council, but campaigners said the ruling could lead to many more.
The trade union Unison said the re-grading scheme was unfair because it made it impossible for employees to know if they were being paid equal pay for equal work.
Unison's Scottish secretary Mike Kirby said: "This judgement that the Glasgow scheme is flawed is great news for low paid women workers.
"The way Glasgow rates and pays workers has been the source of conflict and division for ten years.
"These women have already waited long enough to receive the pay they have worked hard for and deserve. It's time for Glasgow City Council to do the right thing and pay up on equal pay."
Action 4 Equality Scotland (A4ES) - which represents thousands of claimants - said the council's pay arrangements resulted in people employed in female-dominated roles, such as home care, receiving on average £3 an hour less than those in traditionally male roles.
Stefan Cross QC, from A4ES, said: "We have been saying for years that the city council could not justify paying highly skilled, hard working staff like home carers so much less than gardeners, gravediggers and refuse workers."
The Court of Session has now asked the Employment Tribunal to reconsider the matter.
Glasgow and Equal Pay (14/07/17)
A number of Clerical Officers from Glasgow have been in touch to say that they are really hacked off at their local trade union, Unison, over equal pay.
As regular readers know, many staff groups were deliberately excluded from the previous Equal Pay Compensation Scheme back in 2005/06.
The trade unions agreed the list of excluded groups with senior council management even though staff such as Clerical officers had perfectly valid equal pay claims.
So if you ask me, not all union members were treated equally or fairly, as the post below from the blog site archive explains.
Some Unison members have been in touch with the local Glasgow branch to ask why there are equal pay meetings for Cordia staff, but not a series of meetings open to all members.
Now there appears to be no good answer to that question or to the many others I posed in my recent blog post and in my letter to Unison's Mike Kirby, a former 'big cheese' in the local Unison Glasgow branch.
But if Glasgow union members wish to organise meetings under their own steam, as it were, I am more than happy to come along.
Glasgow and Equal Pay (10/07/17)
The trade unions in Glasgow have a lot to answer for after failing to stand up for the lowest paid council workers in the long fight for equal pay.
So what does Unison's Mike Kirby have to say for himself?
Dear Mike
Glasgow and Equal Pay
Questions for Unison (07/07/17)
A number of readers have been in touch to say that the local Unison branch in Glasgow City Council is holding a series of equal pay meetings starting next week - week beginning Monday 10 July 2017.
Now the current regional secretary of Unison in Scotland is a chap called Mike Kirby who used to be a 'big cheese' in the local Glasgow branch back in 2005 - when equal pay first became a big issue thanks to Action 4 Equality Scotland, of course.
So I hope Mike will be heading back to his old stomping ground to where some of the bodies are buried, so to speak, and here are a few topical questions Unison members might like to ask of Mike and their local union representatives:
Glasgow Equal Pay News
I said the other day that I would explain more about the staff groups who were deliberately excluded (by the City Council and local trade unions) from receiving 'Equal Pay - Compensation Payments' back in 2005.
So here you are:
Yet when it comes to the fight for 'Equal Pay' the local trade unions ganged up with senior management to deny compensation to any council employee with less than 1 year's service.
Amazing - and completely hypocritical into the bargain!
Not just that, of course, because the unions agreed with the decision to exclude Admin & Clerical staff from compensation payments and then wrongly advised hundreds of non-bonus earning male workers, e.g. Janitors and Special Needs Drivers, that Equal Pay was only for women!
No wonder 80% of equal pay claimants in Glasgow City Council are pursuing their cases with Action 4 Equality Scotland.
Here is some more information about the 'Equal Pay - Compensation Payments' agreed between Glasgow City Council and the local trade unions back in 2005.
As regular readers know, these payments were highly controversial in a variety of ways:
More to follow on the 'excluded groups' - so watch this space.
Glasgow Equal Pay News (17/06/17)
I promised the other day to share information on the blog site about the 'Equal Pay Compensation Payments' agreed between Glasgow City Council and the local trade unions back in 2005.
So here's an extract from an official document that the City Council published at the time which confirms that senior management and the unions really were working 'hand in glove'.
"Equal Pay - Compensation Payments"
"What is Glasgow City Council doing about Equal Pay?
"The Council, in partnership with the Trade Unions, has begun the process of tackling financial inequality in the workplace through the offer of compensation payments.
"All staff who are being offered a compensation payment are being provided with information about what the Council and Trade Unions have negotiated.
"Remember: Both the Council and Trade Unions are working jointly."
Over the next week or so I'll share further extracts from this document which will explain how the council's lowest paid workers were effectively 'duped' into accepting very low offers of settlement - when what they really deserved was equal pay with their male comparators.
As I said the other day, I am happy to discuss and debate these issues with the local trade unions in Glasgow.
I thought you might be interested in the article below from my blog site regarding the long fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council.
Given your close involvement in these matters, during your time as an activist in the local Glasgow Unison branch, perhaps you would like to explain why the trade unions' failed to stand up for the City Council's lowest paid workers back in 2005/06?
If so, I would be happy to publish your comments on my blog site as I'm sure lots of people would be very interested in what you have to say - including many Unison members.
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
Questions for Unison (07/07/17)
A number of readers have been in touch to say that the local Unison branch in Glasgow City Council is holding a series of equal pay meetings starting next week - week beginning Monday 10 July 2017.
Now the current regional secretary of Unison in Scotland is a chap called Mike Kirby who used to be a 'big cheese' in the local Glasgow branch back in 2005 - when equal pay first became a big issue thanks to Action 4 Equality Scotland, of course.
So I hope Mike will be heading back to his old stomping ground to where some of the bodies are buried, so to speak, and here are a few topical questions Unison members might like to ask of Mike and their local union representatives:
- Why did Unison agree to the arbitrary cap on equal pay settlements back in 2005 which resulted in very poor offers of compensation - lower even than the £13,500 figure proposed by COSLA (the council employers' body)?
- Why did Unison agree to exclude groups such as Clerical Officers from the Equal Pay Compensation Scheme?
- Why did Unison agree to exclude non-bonus earning male workers such as School Janitors and Special Needs Drivers from the Equal Pay Compensation Scheme?
- Why did Unison agree to much lower and insulting compensation payments to groups such as Classroom Assistants?
- Why did Unison agree to exclude overtime from the Equal Pay Compensation Scheme when so many people, especially the lowest paid, relied on additional overtime hours?
- Why did Unison not attend the 'acceptance meetings' in November/December 2005 and provide its members with its own legal and other advice on the Council's Equal Pay settlement offers?
- Why did Unison not threaten strike action to bring the pay of the women into line with their male comparators?
- Why did Unison only threaten strike action to defend the former bonus earnings of male dominated 'red circled' jobs?
- Would Unison behave the same way again today the the clocks were turned back and if so, why should union members have any trust in Unison in 2017?
Glasgow Equal Pay News
I said the other day that I would explain more about the staff groups who were deliberately excluded (by the City Council and local trade unions) from receiving 'Equal Pay - Compensation Payments' back in 2005.
So here you are:
- Clerical staff in council offices
- Clerical staff in council schools
- Male workers in non-bonus earning jobs
- School Janitors (despite being on high Manual Worker grades)
- Special Needs Drivers (even though they had to hold special licences)
- All City Council employees with less than 1 year's service - despite having claims worth up to several thousand pounds (depending on hours worked)
Yet when it comes to the fight for 'Equal Pay' the local trade unions ganged up with senior management to deny compensation to any council employee with less than 1 year's service.
Amazing - and completely hypocritical into the bargain!
Not just that, of course, because the unions agreed with the decision to exclude Admin & Clerical staff from compensation payments and then wrongly advised hundreds of non-bonus earning male workers, e.g. Janitors and Special Needs Drivers, that Equal Pay was only for women!
No wonder 80% of equal pay claimants in Glasgow City Council are pursuing their cases with Action 4 Equality Scotland.
Glasgow Equal Pay News (19/06/17)
As regular readers know, these payments were highly controversial in a variety of ways:
- Payments were capped in a completely arbitrary fashion, without a proper explanation, and a maximum ceiling of £9,000 imposed
- Pupil Support Assistants, Child Development Officers and others received widely varying, often derisory payments - again without a full explanation of the differences in pay with male comparator jobs
- People were credited with contracted hours only - no credit whatsoever was given for overtime working which was very prevalent (and still is) in some parts of the Council
- Many groups were deliberately excluded for these payments despite having perfectly valid claims - more to follow on this issue shortly
More to follow on the 'excluded groups' - so watch this space.
Glasgow Equal Pay News (17/06/17)
So here's an extract from an official document that the City Council published at the time which confirms that senior management and the unions really were working 'hand in glove'.
"Equal Pay - Compensation Payments"
"What is Glasgow City Council doing about Equal Pay?
"The Council, in partnership with the Trade Unions, has begun the process of tackling financial inequality in the workplace through the offer of compensation payments.
"All staff who are being offered a compensation payment are being provided with information about what the Council and Trade Unions have negotiated.
"Remember: Both the Council and Trade Unions are working jointly."
Over the next week or so I'll share further extracts from this document which will explain how the council's lowest paid workers were effectively 'duped' into accepting very low offers of settlement - when what they really deserved was equal pay with their male comparators.
As I said the other day, I am happy to discuss and debate these issues with the local trade unions in Glasgow.
