Equal pay..?

Lucy Breakwell
The Politics Show North West

There could be a great deal of money involved in the claims

Local authorities across the North West are facing an estimated three quarters of a billion pound bill as the March deadline for sorting equal pay claims draws ever closer¿ and this is why.

In 1970 the equal pay act was brought in.

That ensured that employers could not discriminate between employees doing the same or, crucially, comparable work.

Traditionally, male dominated jobs in the public sector, like for example, rubbish collectors, have benefited from better conditions and wages than traditionally female dominated jobs like dinner ladies.

The legislation states that jobs requiring similar skill and effort should be paid at the same rate.

It also states that women, who have suffered from discrimination, could have their wage backdated to the time they had started.

Payout time

Unison are ready for the claim action

For some women that could be tens of thousand of pounds.

But for their employers it could be tens of millions.

So far, one authority has already started to pay up.

In Carlisle, the North Cumbria Acute Health Trust, has paid out £60m to around 1,500 women who launched a legal challenge with the backing of the health service union Unison.

The final bill, facing North West councils, is still only an estimate, as many are still going through the tribunal and appeal stages.

Double your money

In Cumbria though, the county council are preparing themselves for a £50m bill which could eventually cost £100m as they will have to borrow the money to avoid huge council tax rises.

A fair wage for a fair day's work is the demand

There has been talk about service cuts and all will be decided on at the council's budget meeting next month.

We will be joined on the Politics Show by Unison and the Local Government Authority to discuss the issues and problems facing local authorities.

To see more on recycling in the North West, join David Woodthorpe and Gill Dummigan on The Politics Show, Sunday 28 January 2007, BBC One at 12:00 GMT.

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