Health equal pay claims - next steps taken as training arranged
for June
by Nicola Morris
The level of potential equal pay/back pay claims in the NHS
in Scotland was a major issue at the Scottish Health Policy
Seminar earlier this month.
Achieving equal pay across all sectors and bargaining groups
has been a key priority for UNISON over the last few years.
In Scotland, this priority is currently presenting members,
activists and staff with one of the biggest challenges they
have faced.
Being a member of UNISON has already given many people strength
in numbers and a real opportunity to win equal pay through
negotiations or, where necessary, through making a legal claim.
UNISON has had many successes in such claims, both at individual
and group level. Back in 1996 for example five domestic assistants
employed at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital claimed equal
pay, comparing themselves to male porters and groundsmen at
the hospital.
Eleven years later, the number of claims lodged had risen
to over 900 and the health board eventually agreed a settlement,
estimated at over £1 million.
UNISON continues to pursue back pay claims in the health
service. Thousands of health members in Scotland have made
enquiries about potential equal pay/back claims, many of them
asking why they have not received back money when some colleagues
in local government have. UNISON has many health members'
cases lodged at tribunal and work is progressing to see these
through to a successful conclusion.
Members who have made enquiries about claims will be contacted
by UNISONScotland's lawyers, Thompson's in the next few months.
In order to oversee activity, the Scottish Health Committee
has established a small working group to work in conjunction
with UNISON Scotland's Pay Equality Group and develop an equal
pay strategy in Health.
In recent months, the focus on equal pay has been on local
government, and a number of training sessions for activists
in relation to dealing with equal pay have been held.
However, work is now in progress to meet the specific training
needs of health activists. As a first step, a two day training
session is being held on the 14/15 June 2007 at the Beardmore
Hotel in Clydebank.
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