By Brian Allison, local government reporter

AROUND 400 Dundee City Council employees are facing a pay cut under the single status job evaluations carried out by the local authority.

But more than twice as many—almost 1000—are expected to see increases in their pay.

Letters are going out to 6300 employees this week detailing their personal position in respect of the job evaluations and the council has announced that some 400 would receive less pay as a result.

Single status is aimed at sweeping away pay inequalities between male and female employees in an exercise which could cost Scotland’s 32 local authorities up to half a billion pounds.

In Dundee alone it has been estimated it could cost £6 million over three years.

A council spokesman said employees have an individual right of appeal and local panels are being set up to determine the appeals as quickly as possible.

In accordance with a national agreement those employees who are scheduled to have their pay reduced will have their present earnings conserved for three years.

The council wants to implement single status by April and discussions with the trade unions have been going on for months.

To meet the April deadline the council has had to initiate a formal 90-day redundancy consultation period. That started on October 1 and has until the end of the year to run.

If no agreement can be reached by the end of December the council will have to send out notices to more than 6000 employees terminating their contracts of employment.

However, assistant chief executive (management) Jim Petrie has emphasised that it is not anticipated there will be a need for redundancies as employees would be re-engaged on single status contracts with continuous service safeguarded.

Should it be necessary to send out termination notices, the same envelope would contain the offer of a new single status contract.

The council spokesman said, “The letters are being sent out following a lengthy and comprehensive job evaluation exercise designed to meet the requirements of equal pay legislation as well as supporting a more flexible approach to providing services.

“Employees are being asked to sign and return a form agreeing to the changes in terms and conditions of their contract of employment. Employees who choose to do this will still retain a right of appeal against the new grade for their job.”

Appeals have to be submitted by January 25, two weeks later than originally suggested.