Not enough to mend gender gap

By John Stevenson

"The settlement for Scottish Local Government for 2006-7 will not only not pay enough for all the services needed but will definitely not be able to pay for the equal pay local government has to deliver, undermining Scotland's initiative to close the gender pay gap", National President Christine Wilde told Scottish branches on 2 December.

Speaking to the union's Scottish Council, Christine also rounded on the Deputy Prime Minister's pronouncement on pensions.

"The Scottish employers do not accept the age discrimination arguments of the English employers on the rule of 85, but the Scottish Public Pensions Agency wants to adopt whatever is agreed in England and Wales!

"I certainly hope that this is yet one more area where devolution can deliver more sense".

Christine's priority was recruitment. "We need to recruit young people and get them on course, we have some brilliant courses. That's how I got started. with the opportunities to meet and learn from others".

Christine is President for 2005/6. She is a midwife with the Isle of Wight Healthcare Trust.

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