Women workers in line for equal pay after Bury council’s appeal rejected

Summary of story from the BBC, 28.01.2011

Hundreds of women employed by a Greater Manchester council are in line to receive compensation following the rejection of a tribunal appeal by Bury Council.

The ruling against which they had appealed had found that women were entitled to the same bonuses as men in similar low-paid jobs.

The decision will affect women carers, catering assistants, cleaners and home carers who were paid less than male workers in comparable jobs.

Unison have said that the women could now be entitled to up to four years’ back pay after the appeal tribunal upheld the decision.

Bury council said that this decision would have “major ramifications”.

Bev Hodkinson, a home carer who began her fight for equal pay four and a half years ago called the ruling “justice” and said she was elated, but “disgusted” as a ratepayer that the council had wasted money before the recession.

“They knew about this four-and-a-half years ago when the economy wasn’t in the dire situation it is now. If they had paid out then it wouldn’t have had any effect on jobs.”

Unison said it was representing about 900 women, some of whom had lodged multiple claims due to working multiple jobs.