Glasgow - Equal Pay Update



I met with one of my local councillors the other day - Cllr Robert Connelly who is one of four local councillors in my ward of Glasgow Calton.

 Now Cllr Connelly was much younger than I expected (or more likely I'm just getting older), but he was perfectly friendly and keen to listen to what I had to say about the long fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council.

 Most of Glasgow's Conservative councillors (including Robert) were elected for the first time in 2017 and are not 'steeped in' the history of equal pay, so we discussed:
  • The 1999 Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement 
  • The 2000 McCrone Agreement which set aside £800 million a year for teachers' pay
  • The arrival of Action 4 Equality Scotland in 2005
  • The behaviour of Glasgow City Council 
  • The £9,000 'buy-outs' of claims - GCC having denied GCC its equal pay problems 
  • The much better settlements achieved by A4ES
  • The introduction of Glasgow's WPBR - instead of using the recommend JE Scheme
  • The long legal battle and Court of Session's 'unfit for purpose' judgment
  • The ongoing settlement discussions and the role being played by senior officials
  • The importance GGC agreeing to replace the WPBR
I encouraged Robert and his councillor colleagues to focus on the role of Glasgow's senior officials and the 'governance issues' surrounding the introduction of the WPBR.

In my view this is a really big story, a scandal no less, which is still waiting to be told over the procurement of the WPBR, the costs of the scheme and the 'design' instructions from  Glasgow's senior officials.

 Senior council officials in Glasgow are desperate to keep the truth of what happened under wraps whereas elected councillors should be demanding answers for the good name of the city and in the interests of council taxpayers.

Picture Not Available
Cllr Robert Connelly

  

Popular posts from this blog

Kentucky Fried Seagull

Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall is one of my favourite - and endearingly bonkers - TV chefs. The River Cottage chef has a some imaginative ideas for adding seagulls to the national diet - including a recipe for Kentucky Fried Seagull - would you believe. Here's what HFW has to say on the subjecy -  I think I'll contact Hugh - and ask if he'll join the TAPAS campaign. "Vermin with wings? Chicken of the sea? Or just an opportunity missed?" "First and foremost, before we all go on a mad seagull killing frenzy. In the U.K it is against the law to kill seagulls or interfere with their nests under the countryside and wildlife act. Some Councils are allowed to cull them however, and usually do this by either poisoning or shooting them. How to catch your seagull. Remember this is against the law in the U.K. I don't want the Men in Blue knocking at the door because someone said that Foodimum told them it was okay to catch and eat seagulls. It isn...
Read more

Can Anyone Be A Woman?

Image
"All we ask... is FULL RIGHTS as women" 🤡 The legal lunacy that led to the recent Tickle V Giggle judgement was fought for as far back as the 30s. The Trans Takeover of Womanhood - 100 Years of Madness premieres this eve at UK time 🍿 https://t.co/1nzx8gxNA3 #Womanhood … pic.twitter.com/cZOkBrKPof — MrMenno 🏳️‍🌈🎶 (@MrMennoTweets) October 2, 2024 Mr Menno's response to the absurd 'Trans Takeover of Womanhood' - is intelligent, well researched and hilarious into the bargain. A must watch!    
Read more