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Council staff in equal pay battle
FEMALE council workers fighting for the same pay as their male colleagues in Sheffield have taken their long-running battle to the Court of Appeal in London.
The Sheffield Council workers – who include dinner ladies, care home staff and school-run escorts – want their pay to be equalised with that of male employees of an equivalent grade.
In February, an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in favour of women cleaners fighting for equal pay, but against care workers who, the tribunal found, did not have to be paid the same as the men.
The male workers had their pay packages increased in the 1960s when productivity-related bonuses were introduced – and later incorporated into their salaries – and it was found cleaners could receive the same.
But the tribunal found it was not appropriate for the care workers, whose work speed and intensity was entirely governed by the pressure of their tasks.
Yesterday lawyers for the campaigners told top judges almost all of the original Employment Tribunal's reasons for finding in favour of the women cleaners applied to the care workers.
The original tribunal found although the jobs were all rated as equivalent under the Equal Pay Act 1970, some were seen as "men's work" and others as "women's".
Women in equivalent job categories were being paid 33 per cent less than male street cleaners and 38 per cent less than gardeners and similar employees.
The court heard stereotypical assumptions had been made in relation to the respective occupations.
The hearing continues. The judgement will be reserved until a later date.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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