Glasgow - Digby Brown Letter

Stefan Cross explains the background to a letter to some Glasgow equal pay claimants regarding Digby Brown Solicitors who are being sued by the GMB union.

Now I remember attending a local meeting in North Lanarkshire when Digby Brown tried to explain their behaviour and if I can be of any assistance to the GMB in getting justice for its members, I am happy to share what I know. 

  

THE DIGBY BROWN LETTER

Some of you will have received a letter either from Thompsons, Morton Fraser or A4ES with a form called an assignation

It’s a complicated issue but the advice is simple - don’t worry JUST SIGN THE FORM AND GET IT BACK.

Now we will get a lot of folk saying I haven’t got a letter. Again that’s good only about 1 in 10 are getting letters and most of those will be from Thompsons.

Question - Who will get a letter? 

Answer - These are all GMB or ex GMB folk who had their equal pay claim submitted by DIGBY BROWN and who had their claims limited to protection only and didn’t have a new claim submitted before 2012. If you were never GMB or you’re ex GMB who a fresh claim submitted by A4ES or Unison then you won’t get a letter. If you were due to get a letter you should already know because you should have had a letter warning you about Digby Browns/GMB’s mistake.


Q - What is the “assignation form”? 

A - Basically what is happening is that GMB is suing DIGBY BROWN for negligence in the way they handled the equal pay cases. You could also sue as an individual but this would be long and expensive. Instead GMB is offering to sue them for you but to do this you need to “assign”your right to sue to GMB.


Q - Why have I been sent another form, I thought I’d already signed something? 

A - Because DIGBY BROWNs lawyers have said the previous forms were legally defective. GMBs lawyers don’t agree but rather than argue it, it’s better to sign new forms.


Q - Will they win? 

A - Don’t know. GMB are suing over a lot issues. weve not seen their advice.


Q -  In that case why should be we sign? 

A - Unless you’re planning to sue GMB or DIGBY BROWN yourself this is the only way you could get some extra money. Remember at the moment, if you’re in this group you are at risk of getting tens of thousands of pounds less than other people. At the end of the day what have you got to lose by signing? Do you want to miss out a second time?


Q - What do you advise? 

A - SIGN THE FORM ASAP and get it back to your advisers, whoever sent you the form?

Any other QUESTIONS let me know.



Stefan Cross