Glasgow's Second Class Citizens
A number of readers have been in touch to point out that although everyone is really angry at the way they are being treated by Cordia and GCC, many people have little choice but to accept the terms they are offered because they need the extra money in the run-up to Christmas.
Now that's understandable, but the good news is that these differences in pay and how people are being treated continue to form part of people's ongoing equal pay claims.
So let's see who gets the last laugh.
Unfortunately they have us over a barrel because one we need the extra money and two we all actually care about the people we look after
E
Their offer is a total insult give up holidays to work and be paid the same rate!! They are really taking the mick!!
At least we have A4ES on our side - thanks again.
J
That's the first carrot. They know the lowest paid will take a bite at that carer cause they need a bit of extra income to make Christmas happen.
M
Glasgow City Council has just issued an insulting letter to Home Carers (via Cordia) which invites staff to work extra hours and shifts in the run up to Christmas.
The letter says that Home Carers have the "opportunity to consider the following options on a voluntary basis":
- working some of their unspent annual leave - on their current rate of pay
- agreeing to work additional shifts for a 10 week period up to 16 December 2017
Now the laugh is that if traditional male jobs such as Gardeners, Refuse Workers and Gravediggers were doing these additional hours and shifts, they would earn premium rates of pay.
So if you ask me, it's completely outrageous that Home Carers are being offered far inferior terms than their male colleagues for working beyond their normal contracted hours.
Because this kind of discriminatory practice should have ended many years ago by virtue of the new national Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement which every local council in Scotland and all the trade unions signed up to back in 1999.
In effect, Home Carers in Glasgow are being treated like 'second class' citizens by the City Council and this is a perfect illustration of what the fight for equal pay is all about.
