TRADE unions have accused Glasgow City Council of "reneging" on the equal pay deal struck in 2019 and are balloting members on strike action.

In a joint statement from Unite, Unison and GMB, it is claimed thousands of women will be exclusded from any future pay-outs. 

There are still 5,000 claimants who have still received no settlement for the period up to March 2018 and 18,000 claimants who are waiting for a settlement for the period after March 2018.

According to unions, the council has estimated that a new pay and grading system to eliminate gender pay discrimination will not be implemented until 2024 due to the volume of work involved around job evaluation. As a result, unions are calling for the council to make the payments now.

Glasgow Times:

The council has estimated that the new pay and grading system to eliminate gender pay discrimination will not be implemented until 2024 due to the volume of work involved around job evaluation and creating the new system. The trade unions therefore want the council to make further equal pay compensation payments now.

But the council has said the claims being discussed are excluded from the 2019 settlement and there is no deal to renege on.

Sylvia Haughney, UNISON branch officer, said: 'Our members recognise this as a cynical ploy to divide the women of Glasgow, we won't be fooled. We were paid out in 2019 because our pay was unequal, nothing has changed since then, its still unequal, so we are still due the balance as promised.

"The council claim they need more data from the claimants. What data are the council saying they need? They had the correct data in 2019 to sort this, we are still the same people, in the same jobs, in the same pay scheme. The council has the right data now and it knows it, its time to pay up as promised.

"We will now consult with those members we intend to ask to participate in strike action."

GMB Branch Secretary Shona Thomson commented: “Glasgow City Council want to exclude over 20% of job titles that were previously agreed, from any future agreement, providing no justification or explanation. This would mean thousands of women who work under pay discrimination every day will receive nothing, adding insult to injury.

Glasgow Times:

"We will not agree to the exclusion of our friends and colleagues. We know that when we stand united and take action, we can achieve anything, we done it last time and we’ll do it again.”

We will now consult with those members we intend to ask to participate in strike action."

Wendy Dunsmore, Industrial Officer at Unite, continued: " Glasgow City Council’s delays in payments to claimants alongside excluding thousands of workers who are predominantly female from future payments is deceitful and inflammatory. We all need to be clear about the situation here, which is that thousands of workers are awaiting payments owed to them for being wrongfully treated.

The Council are dragging their feet over the payments settled up to March 2018, while moving the goalposts over the claims made after this period. It’s infuriating the workers and that’s why Unite is consulting our members over this unacceptable situation. There needs to be further payments to all those who have outstanding claims. Many of these workers don’t have the time to wait months and years for their money. Choices are literally being made every day by families over the cost of fuel, energy and living.”

A spokesperson for the council disputed the claims, saying it was "categorically untrue." They added: "This is categorically untrue.

“In 2019, the council settled a substantial number of historic equal pay claims, covering a period from 1 January 2007 to 31 March 2018. Over recent weeks, it has been in discussions with claimants’ representatives about a range of newer claims that were not dealt with at that time and which the 2019 settlement expressly did not cover.

“The council has been clear that it is ready to make in-principle offers in relation to a sizeable number of posts, but representatives have told officers they are not prepared to engage with the council to make those offers to staff.

“And, while representatives have indicated they will withdraw a number of claims which they agree have no merit, they have also declined to show the council data they say have - and had previously argued justifies others.

“The council remains ready and willing to make in-principle offers and to carefully consider any evidence relating to other posts, if representatives are prepared to provide it.”