Take Your Best Shot, Richard! (16/01/18)

I've been scouring the newspapers and web sites this morning to see what Richard Leonard has had to say about the fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council.

So far, my search has been in vain even though there's an emergency meeting of the City Council taking place on Wednesday to decide whether Glasgow accepts the judgement of Scotland's highest civil court - that its WPBR pay arrangements are 'unfit for purpose' and need to be replaced. 

The SNP Leader of the Council Susan Aitken has nailed her colours to the mast and has said repeatedly that Glasgow will not appeal this decision to the UK Supreme Court in London - in effect that the game in finally up.  

But the opposition Labour Group on Glasgow City Council has said nothing and so the vote at Wednesday's crucial meeting remains in the balance - the SNP have 11 votes out of 23, Labour have 8, the Greens 2 and the Conservatives 2.

So the SNP need the support of at least 1 other Glasgow councillor in order to do the right thing by the City Council;s largely female workforce who have been denied their rights to equal pay for the past 10 years.

Lots of activity is taking place behind the scenes, as you can imagine, and here's a Facebook post from Stefan Cross calling on the Scottish Labour leader to rise up and take his best shot - with some inspiration from the 'rap' musical Hamilton.

I wrote to Richard yesterday, by email, but I will make a point of sending him a copy of this post from the blog as well.

  

RISE UP, RICHARD LEONARD, RISE UP!

I’m a huge fan of the musical Hamilton and there’s a chorus of rise up during a song called ‘my shot’.

It’s about seizing an opportunity and not hiding in the shadows or just being part of the crowd.

The new Labour leader in Scotland made much of his commitment to equal pay during his campaign.

With this history I’m surprised that I’ve heard nothing from the new leader concerning the biggest equal pay case in Scotland. Especially as the case relates to the lowest paid most disadvantaged group, low paid working class women.

Now, with the emergency meeting on Wednesday there is a real “my shot” moment for Richard.

Will he “rise up” and publicly put labour on the womens’ side?

Come on Richard take your shot!


Stefan Cross