Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay
A quick reminder to union members in Glasgow to vote in the GCC strike ballots which are currently underway.
Glasgow City Council seems to be shifting its position, but this is all down to the threat and likelihood of strike action in the weeks ahead.
So it's vital to keep the pressure up and send a strong message to the Council that a comprehensive settlement covering all claimants is what's required - that a piecemeal agreement won't do.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (February 25, 2022)
The problem is that while the council is obviously keen to avoid further industrial action, they are also continuing with their cynical 'divide and rule' tactics by proposing that large groups of claimants be excluded from any further settlement.
GCC's statement also refers only to claims relating to the pre-2018 settlement date - in effect the council is trying to kick all the post-2018 into the long grass, even though GCC originally agreed to introduce new, non-discriminatory pay arrangements by April 2021.
Seems to me the only sensible and 'just' way forward is to agree a further settlement for all claimants covering the period up to April 2022.
In which case a final settlement would run from April 2022 to April 2024, for example, by which time the long-awaited non-discriminatory pay arrangements should finally be in place, albeit three years later than promised.
GCC is clearly trying to 'cherry pick' elements of the 2019 agreement (which covered the period up to April 2018), but there is no justification for excluding large groups of pre-2018 claimants because this is a trap - and would be used to exclude even more people going forward.
GCC Statement
Equal pay claims - latest news (23 February 2022)
The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay and dealing with equal pay claims, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work.
We reached an agreement to settle a substantial number of claims in 2019 - and it was agreed by all parties, at that time, that we would then seek to deal with new claims covering the same period.
While these claims were explicitly not covered by the 2019 agreement, the council has made it clear in discussions with claimants' representatives that its proposed approach remains absolutely rooted in that deal.
As a result, we can now update you that the council is prepared to make offers to settle new claims on the basis of the 2019 deal.
We have also always been committed to considering options to deal with what is often referred to as 'the gap period' - the time between 2018 and the eventual implementation of a new pay and grading scheme, and negotiations will continue on this area. We are currently working through options to finding a solution.
Equal pay claims - latest news (23 February 2022)
The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay and dealing with equal pay claims, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work.
We reached an agreement to settle a substantial number of claims in 2019 - and it was agreed by all parties, at that time, that we would then seek to deal with new claims covering the same period.
While these claims were explicitly not covered by the 2019 agreement, the council has made it clear in discussions with claimants' representatives that its proposed approach remains absolutely rooted in that deal.
As a result, we can now update you that the council is prepared to make offers to settle new claims on the basis of the 2019 deal.
We have also always been committed to considering options to deal with what is often referred to as 'the gap period' - the time between 2018 and the eventual implementation of a new pay and grading scheme, and negotiations will continue on this area. We are currently working through options to finding a solution.
