by Chris Bartter

Employers in the public sector are marching towards a crisis unless they move quickly to deal with the inherent inequalities in their pay scales.

That's the message from UNISON in local government, health and higher education. Many of the root and branch attempts to review the pay scales in the three sectors above have - at least in part - been devised to tackle this problem.

Single Status in local government, Agenda for Change in health and the Framework Agreement in higher education, all purport to deliver 'equality-proofed' pay.

However they rely on job-evaluation exercises and, at least in local government, employers have been dragging their feet in carrying these out.

Joe Di Paola, Scottish Organiser for Local Government said: "We have now had COSLA asking for delays on at least two occasions and clear signs from some authorities that they have little intention of going through the agreed job evaluation exercise.

"We have told them repeatedly that they face expensive equal pay claims unless they deliver on this, and as recently as last month wrote to all local government Chief Executives to make it clear that we are prepared to pursue legal claims very shortly."

There are other pressures too. Some legal firms with an eye to making money, are looking at such cases avariciously.

Peter Hunter, UNISONScotland's Legal Officer warns members against going down this route. "UNISON is preparing detailed advice on the key cases that are likely to be successful", he said.

"Unlike commercial practices, we want to see a universal coverage - not to cherry-pick individual cases. We are now in a position to do this - quickly, and at no cost to members.

"We are working with the Equal Opportunities Commission in Scotland to ensure that the campaign for equal pay covers the largest possible numbers of staff. We want to ensure that people are paid equally and fairly - and that their success doesn't mean jobs cuts in our public services."

headlines . top