More than 1,400 mainly low-paid women members in Fife will be better off after UNISON reached a multi-million pound settlement with the council over their equal pay claims.
This means that UNISON members will be properly recompensed for historic discriminatory pay practices within Fife council and receive back pay going back in some cases to 2006.
The agreement covers the principles of the settlement and how each individual member’s settlement will be calculated.
UNISON hopes that this calculation can be completed as quickly as possible.
The union is negotiating equal pay claims in councils across Scotland and has been running claims in Fife since 2006.
“This has been a long time coming,” commented regional organiser Dougie Black. “We can only thank UNISON members for their hard work and patience.
“We will now discuss individual claims with the employer to ensure each claim is calculated properly. This a good day for low-paid women workers and UNISON is proud to have been a part of it.”
UNISON Scotland legal officer Suzanne Craig added that the union will be seeking early payment from the employer.
“This settlement also agrees the legal principles for moving forward to ensure, wherever possible that job evaluation and pay practices remain free from discrimination in the future,” she added.
“Regrettably, it took the threat of proceeding to an employment tribunal to focus the employer’s minds to settle.
“Members will receive individual letters, in due course, outlining their settlement figures. I want to thank everyone for their patience.”
