Dundee City Council ‘making no effort to right wrong’ as equal pay battle rumbles on

Dundee City Council chiefs have been accused of refusing to agree a settlement with the hundreds of women who have lodged equal pay claims against them.

Local authority workers and GMB union members took to City Square on Friday calling on the council to reach an agreement and avoid adding millions to the final cost.

The union says women employed by the council and its arm’s length external organisations have lost out on thousands of pounds each in earnings because of an unsound pay agreement.

It’s claimed the pay structure gave bonuses to workers in predominantly male roles such as plumbers and electricians while ignoring mainly female roles in care and educational support.

Cara Stevenson, organiser of GMB Scotland’s women’s campaign unit, has now written to council leader John Alexander claiming the local authority is “deflecting responsibility” on the issue.

She said: “The fact that predominantly male jobs are on entirely different and far better terms that predominantly female jobs on the same grade is clearly unjust and an obvious inequality.

“Dundee City Council, although aware of this pay injustice, has made no effort to right the wrong.

“In fact, it has done its best to delay the process and deflect responsibility.

“It is shameful that we are now years into a legal process with no clear progress despite council officials repeatedly assuring us the issue must be resolved.”

Equal pay claims have dogged local authorities across the U.K in recent years.

Last year, Birmingham City Council announced they were effectively bankrupt after revealing it had to pay up to £760m to settle these cases.

And in 2022, Glasgow City Council agreed to pay £770m in settlements after facing a barrage of claims.

GMB are now calling on Dundee City council to act now to avoid a similar cost.

Ms Stevenson added: “The council in Dundee and others across Scotland might hope that sticking their head in the sand will make these claims go away but it will not.

“They must address the reality of these claims, the rising costs, and deliver the pay justice these women have deserved for many, many years.”

A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “A number of equal pay claims have been raised against Dundee City Council in the employment tribunal.

“These cases are at an early stage and it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further in the meantime.”