Commenting on an announcement made by John Denham, the Communities Secretary, that 37 councils will be able to raise £500 million to fund equal pay, Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“This announcement is a big step forward, and will allow more councils across the country to finally close the gap between pay rates for men and women. We welcome the GovernmentÕs continued commitment to allowing councils to raise cash to fund equal pay in this way. It shows they have been listening to our advice about how they can help local authorities meet the equal pay challenge.
“Ending the injustice of unequal pay for women is one of the most important issues for UNISON, and for our one million women members. In the 21st century it cannot be right that some women still get paid less than a male colleague in the same job, or in a job of equal value.
“UNISON will continue to work hard to tackle the gender pay gap. We know that collective bargaining, as opposed to lengthy court action, is the best way to bring about equal and fair pay for all.”