Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay
I can attest to the fact that Stefan Cross is not the 'Messiah' or an 'Angel' although I do think it's fair to say that he has devoted a large part of his life to fighting pay discrimination and championing the cause of equal pay.
So imagine my surprise when a reader sent me this comment about Stefan which was made on Facebook recently:
"....personally i wouldn't trust him, arrogant man, mysoginist (sic) to the core...."
Now not only can this person (a woman) not spell misogynist correctly, she is also saying things that are completely untrue, damaging and derogatory - and therefore defamatory.
I also think it's true to say that without A4ES and Stefan Cross there would never have been an equal pay settlement with Glasgow City Council - nor the famous victory at the Court of Session in 2017 which resulted in the WPBR being condemned as 'unfit for purpose'.
So you have to wonder why anyone would speak about Stefan Cross QC on social media in such a vile, nasty and offensive manner - sounds to me like someone who enjoys 'cutting off their nose to spite their face', as my mother used to say.
More to follow - watch this space.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (17/10/19)
I'm afraid to say that a cowardly little 'girl gang' of Glasgow claimants have taken to Facebook to say unpleasant, untrue and nasty things about Frances Stojilkovic, in the wake of BBC Scotland's Disclosure programme.
Now I can't think of a more selfless person than Frances who has done more than anyone else I know to champion the cause of equal pay in Glasgow, in her own time and for not any reward, I should add.
I think it's fair to say that Frances has been absolutely tireless in support of the Glasgow campaign and without her Facebook page thousands of Claimants would still be in the dark about the need to protect their interests by registering an equal pay claim with A4ES, or one of the other Claimant organisations.
So here's my message to the malcontents and moaners who have been running Frances down behind her back:
"The armchair critics slagging off Frances are bitter and twisted if you ask me - and they couldn’t lace her boots!
The fight for equal pay in Glasgow would never have reached, involved and made life better for so many people were it not for Frances and her Facebook page."
And here's what I said about Frances when I nominated her for Scotswoman of the Year 2019 - all of which is completely true, by the way.
People Make Glasgow - Frances Stojilkovic (31/01/19)
I've just nominated Frances Stojilkovic for the 'Scotswoman of the Year 2018' award which is being organised by the Evening Times in association with the St. Enoch Centre.
Here's what I said about Frances in support of my nomination along with an internet link explaining the background to this annual event.
More details to follow soon and the very best of luck Frances who has played such a huge role in her local community and, of course, in Glasgow's long fight for equal pay.
Because becoming 'Scotswoman of the Year 2018' would knock an OBE, MBE or even a CBE into a cocked hat any day of the week - well in my book anyway!
Because becoming 'Scotswoman of the Year 2018' would knock an OBE, MBE or even a CBE into a cocked hat any day of the week - well in my book anyway!
Frances Stojilkovic - Scotswoman of the Year 2018
I would like to nominate Glasgow’s Frances Stojilkovic as ‘Scotswoman of the Year 2018’ because she is an inspiring, irrepressible role model for women of all ages.
Frances is one of Glasgow’s 2,500 Home Support Workers and for the past 15 years she has been looking after the most vulnerable people in our local community.
More recently Frances has played a vital role in Glasgow’s historic fight for equal pay which culminated in an agreement to settle the Council’s 14,000 outstanding cases at a cost of £500 million, after a lengthy battle in and out of the courts.
The enormous sum of money involved represents the pay and pensions which low paid, predominantly female council council workers lost over 12 years as a result of Glasgow City Council’s discriminatory pay arrangements, known locally as the Workforce Pay and Benefits Review (WPBR).
The WPBR was introduced originally in 2007, but the controversial pay scheme was subsequently condemned as ‘unfit for purpose’ by the Court of Session, Scotland’s highest civil court, in August 2017.
Frances started up her own Facebook page in support of the campaign for equal pay and this has been instrumental in galvanising support across the city - not just from other low paid workers (cleaners, carers, catering workers, clerical staff, classroom assistants etc), but from the wider public as well.
Frances’s high profile role in Glasgow’s equal pay campaign attracted the attention of Anne Robinson, well known for a variety of TV roles, who made a film about the 2018 struggle for pay equality - 'The Trouble with Women’ - highlighting the need for Glasgow's campaign almost 50 years after the 1970 Equal Pay Act.
In her spare time, Frances is also a committed community activist who has done a huge amount of voluntary work in Govanhill to increase community safety, tackle crime and generally improve the local area.
In recent years some of Glasgow’s most senior council officials have been awarded public honours from the Queen - OBEs, MBEs, CBEs - for their services to local government and the charitable sector.
So instead of the ‘usual suspects’ it would be great to see one of Glasgow’s unsung foot soldiers being recognised for her selfless contribution to better the lives of her co-workers and fellow citizens.
